Global Information Assurance Certification Explained

Global Information Assurance Certification
GIAC
Type:for-profit
Founded Date:1999
Area Served:Worldwide
Focus:Cybersecurity, Information Security, Software Security
Services:Professional Certifications
Owner:SANS
Homepage:www.giac.org

Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is an information security certification entity that specializes in technical and practical certification as well as new research in the form of its GIAC Gold program. SANS Institute founded the certification entity in 1999 and the term GIAC is trademarked by The Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies.

GIAC provides a set of vendor-neutral computer security certifications linked to the training courses provided by the SANS. GIAC is specific to the leading edge technological advancement of IT security in order to keep ahead of "black hat" techniques. Papers written by individuals pursuing GIAC certifications are presented at the SANS Reading Room on GIAC's website.

Initially all SANS GIAC certifications required a written paper or "practical" on a specific area of the certification in order to achieve the certification. In April 2005, the SANS organization changed the format of the certification by breaking it into two separate levels. The "silver" level certification is achieved upon completion of a multiple choice exam. The "gold" level certification can be obtained by completing a research paper and has the silver level as a prerequisite.

As of August 27, 2022, GIAC has granted 173,822 certifications worldwide.[1]

SANS GIAC Certifications

Certifications listed as 'unavailable' are not listed in official SANS or GIAC sources, and are found elsewhere. They are not the same as retired courses.[2]

Cyber Defense

CodeNameAssociated SANS Course[3] Status
GFACTGIAC Foundational Cybersecurity TechnologiesSEC275
GISFGIAC Information Security FundamentalsSEC301
GSECGIAC Security Essentials CertificationSEC401
GSOCGIAC Security Operations CertifiedSEC450
GOSIGIAC Open Source IntelligenceSEC487
GCEDGIAC Certified Enterprise DefenderSEC501
GCIAGIAC Certified Intrusion AnalystSEC503
GCWNGIAC Certified Windows Security AdministratorSEC505
GMONGIAC Continuous Monitoring CertificationSEC511
GDSAGIAC Defensible Security ArchitectureSEC530
GCDAGIAC Certified Detection AnalystSEC555
GCCCGIAC Critical Controls Certification[4] SEC566
GDATGIAC Defending Advanced ThreatsSEC599
GSIPGIAC Secure Internet PresenceSEC615[5] Unavailable
GSOCGIAC Securing Oracle CertificationRetired

Penetration Testing

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GEVAGIAC Enterprise Vulnerability AssessorSEC460
GCIHGIAC Certified Incident HandlerSEC504
GWAPTGIAC Certified Web Application Penetration TesterSEC542
GPENGIAC Penetration TesterSEC560
GCPNGIAC Cloud Penetration TesterSEC588
GPYCGIAC Python CoderSEC573
GMOBGIAC Mobile Device Security AnalystSEC575
GAWNGIAC Assessing Wireless NetworksSEC617
GXPNGIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration TesterSEC660

Management, Audit, Legal

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GSAEGIAC Security Audit EssentialsAUD410[6] Unavailable
G7799GIAC Certified ISO-17799 SpecialistAUD411[7] Unavailable
GSNAGIAC Systems and Network AuditorAUD507
GISPGIAC Information Security ProfessionalMGT414
GSLCGIAC Security Leadership CertificationMGT512
GSOMGIAC Security Operations ManagerMGT552
GCSCGIAC Certified Security ConsultantMGT513[8] Unavailable
GSTRTGIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and LeadershipMGT514
GCPMGIAC Certified Project ManagerMGT525
GLEGGIAC Legal IssuesAbeyance
G2700GIAC Certified ISO-27000 SpecialistRetired

Developer

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GWEBGIAC Certified Web Application DefenderSEC522formally DEV522[9]
GPCSGIAC Public Cloud SecuritySEC510
GCSAGIAC Cloud Security AutomationSEC540
GNETGIAC .NetRetired
GSSP CGIAC Secure Software Programmer CRetired

Incident Response and Forensics

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GBFAGIAC Battlefield Forensics and AcquisitionFOR498
GCFEGIAC Certified Forensic ExaminerFOR500
GCFAGIAC Certified Forensic AnalystFOR508
GCFRGIAC Cloud Forensics ResponderFOR509
GIMEGIAC iOS & Mac ExaminerFOR518
GNFAGIAC Certified Network Forensic AnalystFOR572
GCTIGIAC Cyber Threat IntelligenceFOR578
GASFGIAC Advanced Smartphone ForensicsFOR585
GREMGIAC Certified Reverse Engineering MalwareFOR610

Industrial Control Systems

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GICSPGIAC Global Industrial Cybersecurity ProfessionalICS410
GCIPGIAC Critical Infrastructure ProtectionICS456
GRIDGIAC Response and Industrial DefenseICS515

GSE

CodeNameStatus
GSEGIAC Security Expert
GSE-MalwareGIAC Security Expert in MalwareRetired[10]
GSE-ComplianceGIAC Security Expert in ComplianceRetired

Unobtainable Certifications

The following certifications are no longer issued.

CodeNameAssociated SANS CourseStatus
GCUXGIAC Certified UNIX Security AdministratorSEC506Unobtainable[11]
GPPAGIAC Certified Perimeter Protection AnalystUnobtainable.[12] Formerly GCFW (Certified Firewall Analyst)
GSSP-JAVAGIAC Secure Software Programmer JavaDEV541Unobtainable[13]
GSSP-.NETGIAC Secure Software Programmer .NETDEV544Unobtainable[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Global Information Assurance Certification . 2022-08-27 . Global Information Assurance Certification .
  2. Web site: Retired GIAC Certifications. 2020-08-11. www.giac.org.
  3. Web site: Cyber Security Courses SANS Institute. 2020-08-11. www.sans.org.
  4. Web site: GIAC Critical Controls Certification . 2014-11-18 . Global Information Assurance Certification .
  5. Web site: GSIP - GIAC Secure Internet Presence. 2020-08-11. www.certification.info.
  6. Web site: GSAE - GIAC Security Audit Essentials. 2020-08-11. www.certification.info.
  7. Web site: G7799 - GIAC Certified ISO-17799. 2020-08-11. www.certification.info.
  8. Web site: GCSC - GIAC Certified Security Consultant. 2020-08-11. www.certification.info.
  9. Web site: DEV522: Defending Web Applications. 2020-08-11. www.sans.org.
  10. Web site: GSE specializations. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232611/http://www.techexams.net/forums/sans-institute-giac-certifications/111590-gse-specializations.html . 2016-03-03 .
  11. Web site: GIAC Certified Unix System Administrator Cybersecurity Certification. 2020-08-11. www.giac.org.
  12. Web site: GIAC Certified Perimeter Protection Analyst GPPA Certification. 2020-08-11. www.giac.org. 2020-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918114149/https://www.giac.org/certification/certified-perimeter-protection-analyst-gppa. dead.
  13. Web site: GIAC Secure Software Programmer Java Cybersecurity Certification. 2020-08-11. www.giac.org. 2020-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918111027/https://www.giac.org/certification/secure-software-programmer-java-gssp-java. dead.
  14. Web site: GIAC Secure Software Programmer .NET Cybersecurity Certification. 2020-08-11. www.giac.org. 2020-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918112301/https://www.giac.org/certification/secure-software-programmer-net-gssp-net. dead.