GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT)

• Core Computing Components: Hardware and Virtualization, Networking, Operating Systems, Web, Cloud, and Data Storage
• IT Fundamentals and Concepts: Logic and Programming, Windows, and Linux
• Security Foundations and Threat Landscape: Concepts, Exploitation and Mitigation, Forensics and Post Exploitation

• Anyone new to cybersecurity
• Career changers
• Online self-driven learners seeking new skills
• College & university students
• Business professionals without a deep cybersecurity background
• New hires in IT/cybersecurity
• Participants in re-skilling programs

• 1 proctored exam
• 75 questions
• 2 hours
• Minimum passing score of 71%

NOTE: All GIAC Certification exams are web-based and required to be proctored. There are two proctoring options: remote proctoring through ProctorU, and onsite proctoring through PearsonVUE. Click here for more information.

GIAC certification attempts will be activated in your GIAC account after your application has been approved and according to the terms of your purchase. Details on delivery will be provided along with your registration confirmation upon payment. You will receive an email notification when your certification attempt has been activated in your account. You will have 120 days from the date of activation to complete your certification attempt.

• Computer Hardware & Virtualization
  The candidate will understand key hardware components and their functions as well as associated memory concepts and understand virtualization and containers, their uses and advantages/disadvantages.
• Exploitation & Mitigation
  The candidate will be familiar with common exploit anatomy and methodology, as well as have a basic awareness and understanding of the tools used by attackers to achieve and increase system access, as well as appropriate mitigation strategies and techniques.
• Forensics & Post-Exploitation
  The candidate will be familiar with tools used in forensics investigations as well as their function, understand the stages of incident response, and understand the objectives of different types of forensics investigations and associated key artifacts and evidence. The candidate will be familiar with post-exploitation goals and methodology including persistence, lateral movement, and exfiltration.
• Linux Foundations
  The candidate will have a working knowledge of most commonly used Linux commands, understand permissions and access control, and understand the key elements of Linux as it relates to file systems, architecture, and networking.
• Logic & Programming
  The candidate will be able to determine the result of basic logical operations, have a familiarity with programming syntax, constructs, and errors in popular languages, and understand how programs execute and the functions of memory allocations.
• Networking & Servers
  The candidate will understand core networking concepts, protocols, and understand different server types and their uses.
• Operating Systems, The Web, & Data Storage
  The candidate will understand the typical function and duties/task of the operating system, and be familiar with different file systems, web technology, and have some familiarity with cloud computing models and their advantages/disadvantages.
• Security Concepts
  The candidate will understand the concepts and terminology associated with cryptography, be familiar with ethical and legal concerns that are associated with hacking, understand the stages of an attack, and be familiar with key defensive strategies and concepts.
• Windows Foundations
  The candidate will be familiar with key Windows CLI commands, understand permissions and access control, and understand the key elements of Windows as it relates to file systems, architecture, and networking.

• Training is available in a variety of modalities including live training and OnDemand.
• Practical work experience can help ensure that you have mastered the skills necessary for certification
• College level courses or self paced study through another program or materials may meet the needs for mastery.
• Get information about the procedure to contest exam results.

Practice Tests

• These tests are a simulation of the real exam allowing you to become familiar with the test engine and style of questions.
• Practice exams are a gauge to determine if your preparation methods are sufficient.
• The practice bank questions are limited so you may encounter the same question on practice tests when multiple practice tests are purchased.
• Practice exams never include actual exam questions.
• Purchase a GFACT practice test here.
• GIAC recommends leveraging additional study methods for test preparation.