Get Certified with GIAC Cyber Security Certifications

GIAC Certification offers many benefits for employers and professionals. Discover why over 70,000 cyber security professionals have chosen GIAC to validate their hands-on skills and how you can join them.

GIAC Certifications was created in 1999 with one mission: to validate the skills of information security professionals.

GIAC Cyber Security Professional Certification is recognized and trusted by thousands of companies and government agencies around the world. To date, over 70,000 Certifications have been awarded.

As a body, GIAC cyber security expert certification has been designed to address a range of skills through entry-level, intermediate and advanced. In total there are twenty certifications available. Eleven GIAC certificates have ANSI accreditation.

Certification Benefits

For an individual, possessing a GIAC Certification brings professional and career advantages. GIAC Certifications enable students to stand out from the crowd and earn the respect of their peers.

The Steps to Achieving GIAC Certification

Step 1. Decide Upon the Right Certification

In all, GIAC offers 20 Certifications spread across numerous cyber security fields. The first step in the journey to achieving GIAC certification is to pick the right Certification.

Each Certification is designed to certify an individual's expertise and mastery of a given skillset and knowledge base. As such, GIAC Certifications are self-contained.

There's no preordained order in which students should take Certification. We do recommend that lower level concepts are mastered before moving on to advanced topics.

GIAC Certifications

Level	Certification	Course
Level 1	GISF	SEC301: Intro to Information Security
	GCIH	SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling
	GCFE	FOR500: Windows Forensic Analysis
	GWEB	DEV522: Defending Web Applications Security Essentials
	GCIA	SEC503: Intrusion Detection In-Depth
	GPEN	SEC560: Network Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
	GCFA	FOR508: Advanced Digital Forensics, Incident Response, and Threat Hunting
	GLEG	LEG523: Law of Data Security and Investigations
	GICSP	ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials
Level 2	GSEC	SEC401: Security Essentials Bootcamp Style
	GCFA	FOR508: Advanced Digital Forensics, Incident Response, and Threat Hunting
	GNFA	FOR572: Advanced Network Forensics and Analysis
	GCTI	FOR578: Cyber Threat Intelligence
	GASF	FOR585: Advanced Smartphone Forensics
	GCIA	SEC503: Intrusion Detection In-Depth
	GCFE	FOR500: Windows Forensic Analysis
	GSLC	MGT512: SANS Security Leadership Essentials For Managers with Knowledge Compression™
	GCPM	MGT525: IT Project Management, Effective Communication, and PMP^® Exam Prep
	GSSP-JAVA	DEV541: Secure Coding in Java/JEE: Developing Defensible Applications
	GSSP-.NET	DEV544: Secure Coding in .NET: Developing Defensible Applications
	GSNA	AUD507: Auditing & Monitoring Networks, Perimeters & Systems
	GCIP	ICS456: Essentials for NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection
	GRID	ICS515: ICS Active Defense and Incident Response
Level 3	GCED	SEC501: Advanced Security Essentials - Enterprise Defender
	GCIA	SEC503: Intrusion Detection In-Depth
	GCWN	SEC505: Securing Windows and PowerShell Automation
	GCUX	SEC506: Securing Linux/Unix
	GREM	FOR610: Reverse-Engineering Malware: Malware Analysis Tools and Techniques
	GCIH	SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling
	GSTRT	MGT514: IT Security Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership
	GLEG	LEG523: Law of Data Security and Investigations
	GMON	SEC511: Continuous Monitoring and Security Operations
	GCFA	FOR508: Advanced Digital Forensics, Incident Response, and Threat Hunting
	GNFA	FOR572: Advanced Network Forensics and Analysis
	GCTI	FOR578: Cyber Threat Intelligence
Level 4	GWAPT	SEC542: Web App Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
	GPEN	SEC560: Network Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
	GPYC	SEC573: Automating Information Security with Python
	GMOB	SEC575: Mobile Device Security and Ethical Hacking
Level 5	GAWN	SEC617: Wireless Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
Level 5	GXPN	SEC660: Advanced Penetration Testing, Exploit Writing, and Ethical Hacking
Specialty Courses	GMON	SEC511: Continuous Monitoring and Security Operations
	GCCC	SEC566: Implementing and Auditing the Critical Security Controls - In-Depth
	GISP	MGT414: SANS Training Program for CISSP® Certification
	GSNA	AUD507: Auditing & Monitoring Networks, Perimeters & Systems
	GWAPT	SEC542: Web App Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
	GCIH	SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling
	GCWN	SEC505: Securing Windows and PowerShell Automation
	GCUX	SEC506: Securing Linux/Unix
	GAWN	SEC617: Wireless Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking

Step 2. Take your Certification Attempt

To register for a GIAC Certification attempt, candidates need to submit an online application and pay the Certification registration fee. All applications are subject to approval and incur a fee.

Candidates then have four months to take the examination.

Step 3. Prepare for Examination

The next step in the journey is preparation. There is no prescribed route or preferred provider of training. GIAC is independent.

SANS aligns its training courses with GIAC Certifications.

SANS Instructors are widely regarded as experts in their given field. Indeed, along with leading training courses, many Instructors are expert consultants and cyber security practitioners themselves.

However candidates choose to prepare, remember that GIAC examinations are intensive, demanding and thorough.

Step 4. Book your Exam

Given the value and gravity of the examinations, exams take place in a special proctored environment - a supervised and secure space.

The primary method for taking a proctored exam is through our testing partner Pearson VUE.

Pearson VUE is an industry leader in examination testing and offers more than 3,500 testing centres worldwide. Click here to find your test centre.

Exams last between two to five hours, depending upon the Certification being sat.

Examinations are open book - this means no access to the internet and other computers, beyond the test machine. Candidates can only bring books and notes into the testing room. SANS training courses provide a comprehensive set of books students can take with them to the test.

Step 5. Receive your Certificate

When you've passed your examination, you will be officially GIAC Certified. GIAC emails instructions about how to receive an official certificate. Tweet @SANSEMEA for a congratulatory re-tweet #GIAC.

Re-sit

Students who don't pass a GIAC Certification Exam can purchase a retake. Log into the SANS/GIAC Account and click on "Certification Attempts" and then "Purchase Retake."

This option is available for 30 days after the deadline. If a candidate does not purchase a retake within the 30 days following an exam deadline, but wishes to attempt the exam at a later date, they will need to start over by purchasing a new Certification Attempt.

After three failed attempts, candidates must generally wait one year before continuing the process of earning a GIAC certification.

What is GIAC Gold?

GIAC Gold sees successful applicants write a technical paper that's published in the SANS Reading Room.

By being published in the Reading Room professionals demonstrate their skills, knowledge and their ability to communicate at the highest level.

Candidates work closely with an advisor to develop and write their technical report.

See the current list of GIAC Gold reports here.