GIAC certification equips cybersecurity professionals with specialized, up-to-date industry skills and knowledge for entry-level and advanced roles. Explore how to begin or advance your cybersecurity career with GIAC.
GIAC Certifications is a leading certification body specializing in information security. The cybersecurity think tank SANS Institute founded the organization in 1999, building its reputation for developing some of the most rigorous and well-recognized information security certification standards in the world.
GIAC, formerly known as Global Information Assurance Certification, provides 50 information security-related certifications for professionals [1]. Each certification covers a skill-specific domain or focus area, such as ethical hacking, cyber defense, and penetration testing.
Obtaining a SANS GIAC certification is a credible way to validate your cybersecurity knowledge and let employers know you’re trained in the latest information security thinking and techniques. Learn more about GIAC certification and the correct credentials for your next career move.
GIAC certification ensures that cybersecurity professionals meet and demonstrate specific levels of technical proficiency. You’ll get hands-on training in the latest cybersecurity skills across various roles, meaning you can put your certification expertise to work immediately.
Becoming certified through GIAC means you have learned and mastered cybersecurity fundamentals. GIAC now offers stackable certifications that validate your cybersecurity abilities:
Practitioner Certifications are designed for those new to certification and seeking to build foundational knowledge and credibility across a spectrum of infosec topics. GIAC currently offers 50 Practitioner Certifications in areas such as offensive operations, cyber defense, cloud security, DFIR, management, and ICS. Practitioner Certifications are stackable, meaning you can use them to build toward GIAC's more advanced Applied Knowledge and Portfolio Certifications.
Applied Knowledge Certifications offer a more challenging tier of subject matter and testing intended to validate certification holders' expertise. The hands-on exams showcase testers' technical knowledge and skills by solving complex real-world security scenarios.
Portfolio Certifications allow security professionals to utilize stackability to customize their credentials around specific skill sets. GIAC Security Professionals (GSPs) is the first tier of portfolio certification (any three Practitioner Certifications plus two Applied Knowledge Certifications), followed by the highest certification level (any six Practitioner Certifications plus four Applied Knowledge Certifications), the GIAC Security Expert (GSE).
GIAC offers different kinds of certifications to support you at the beginning of your career and as you advance and build your skills. GIAC Practitioner Certifications are appropriate for learners who want to demonstrate they have a foundational knowledge of the topic. However, you should have experience or take a training course before attempting the certification exam.
GIAC candidates preparing for the Practitioner exam spend an average of 55 hours or more studying and take an average of one practice exam before sitting for the official certification exam [2].
GIAC certifications last four years, after which you’ll need to renew in one of two ways:
Retake the exam.
Collect 36 continuing professional education (CPE) credits during the four years your certification is active [3].
Keep in mind: The renewal fee is $499 as of February 2025 [4].
Cost varies depending on certification level and type of exam (extensions, retakes, etc.) [4].
Category | Practitioner Certifications | Applied Knowledge Certifications |
---|---|---|
GIAC Certification Attempt | $999 | $1299 ($499 with active related GIAC Certification) |
Certification Attempt Retakes | $899 | $1,199 ($399 with active related GIAC Certification) |
Certification Attempt Extensions | $479 | $479 |
GIAC certifications are classified into six focus areas:
Offensive operations
Cyber defense
Industry control systems
Management and leadership
Digital forensics and incident response
Each area tests candidates on the skills necessary to meet the cybersecurity standards of firms across industries.
Offensive operations GIAC certifications focus on various security topics related to maintaining and securing devices, systems, networks, and hardware. You can expect to build vital skills necessary for identifying, assessing, and resolving flaws, threats, and breaches. Completing an offensive operations certification qualifies you to work with purple, exploit, and red development teams.
With cyber defense GIAC certifications, you’ll develop skills to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks. You will learn how to identify cyber actions that threaten security against systems, devices, or other IT resources, and best practices for actively countering intrusions.
Read more: Your Guide to Cybersecurity Careers
You’ll learn how to protect against data loss and design environments that detect and resolve threats, help minimize damage, and prioritize remediation when necessary.
Read more: 5 Cloud Certifications to Start Your Cloud Career
Learn to build, manage, and lead security teams and best practices for incorporating organizational leadership insight and input into security practices to help strengthen organizations’ security frameworks.
With a GIAC industrial control systems certification, you’ll learn to protect and defend information and data for essential infrastructure, such as power grids, telecommunications, and manufacturing systems, that play a crucial role in organizational and industry processes.
Strengthen your ability to identify when a system has been compromised and know what action to take to employ and preserve remediation.
Read more: What Is Computer Forensics? Types, Techniques, and Careers
Each focus area covered through GIAC certifications aligns with the cybersecurity needs of government, military, and business industry organizations worldwide. When you decide to pursue GIAC certification, you're putting yourself on the path to enhancing your skills and knowledge in the areas of infosec and cybersecurity.
A GIAC certification:
Represents a quantifiable understanding of the information security field
Offers a path for you to build the specific skills and expertise you need to succeed in a cybersecurity role
Demonstrates job readiness
Serves as evidence of training and technical skills that align with career interests
Illustrates your understanding of the current industry standards
Certifies you as a trained professional
GIAC certifications require your time and financial investment. But becoming GIAC certified will add another layer of industry-approved value to your qualifications. GIAC certification could be right for you if you will benefit from:
Choosing from an extensive range of certifications
Obtaining certifications for job-focused tasks
Leveraging access to a large community of cybersecurity professionals
A GIAC certification can help you learn new skills and demonstrate your abilities to your employer. Start building job-ready skills in cybersecurity with the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate on Coursera. Get hands-on experience with industry tools and examine real-world case studies, all at your own pace. Upon completion, you’ll have a certificate for your resume and the preparation necessary to explore job titles like security analyst, SOC (security operations center) analyst, and more.
GIAC Certifications. “Company Info, https://www.giac.org/about/company-info/.” Accessed February 5, 2025.
GIAC Certifications. "Cybersecurity Certifications: Pricing, https://www.giac.org/pricing/." Accessed February 5, 2025.
GIAC Certifications. “How to Renew, https://www.giac.org/renewal/how-to-renew/.” Accessed February 5, 2025.
GIAC Certifications. "Best Practices for GIAC Exam Preparation, https://www.giac.org/how-to-prepare/practitioner/." Accessed February 5, 2025.
Payscale. "Salary for Certification: SANS/GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=SANS%2FGIAC_Certified_Incident_Handler_(GCIH)/Salary." Accessed February 5, 2025.
GIAC Certifications. “Renewal, https://www.giac.org/knowledge-base/renewal/.” Accessed February 5, 2025.
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