The GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) certification is one of the most prestigious incident response and forensic certifications in the cybersecurity industry. Obtaining the GCIH certification demonstrates your skills in investigating cyber attacks, analyzing malware, remediating impacted systems, and managing security incidents.
| Topic | Key Takeaways |
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| What is GCIH? |
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| Who is GCIH for? |
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| Why get GCIH certified? |
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| GCIH exam requirements |
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| Preparing for the exam |
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| What’s on the exam? |
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| Cost |
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| Key Takeaway | Earning GCIH certification validates expertise across essential domains like forensics, malware analysis, and incident coordination. It delivers a powerful career advantage! |
This article serves as a comprehensive guide for security professionals looking to earn their GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification in 2024. We will cover everything you need to know, from an overview of the certification’s content and value to detailed exam preparation and testing tips. Our goal is to ensure you feel fully equipped to thrive with the GCIH essentials and advance your cybersecurity career.
What is GCIH GIAC Certified Incident Handler?
The GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification focuses specifically on incident handling and response. It covers essential knowledge and skills like:
- Digital forensics and malware analysis
- Identifying and containing ongoing attacks
- Recovering from security breaches
- Managing incident response teams and processes
GCIH is one certification under the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) umbrella. GIAC offers credentials across security domains like penetration testing, digital forensics, management, audit, and software security.
There are two main certification types:
- Applied Knowledge Certifications: Demonstrate core security knowledge
- Practitioner Certifications: Validate hands-on technical capabilities
The GCIH is part of the Practitioner track, certifying real-world defense skills.
Who is GCIH for?
The GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification is ideal for:
- Incident handlers and analysts
- Digital forensic investigators
- Malware analysts
- Security operations center (SOC) engineers
- Anyone managing security incidents and breaches
It’s a valuable certification for aspiring and current cybersecurity engineers, leaders, and managers.
Government agencies and contractors often require GIAC Certified Incident Handler for incident response roles and security clearances. It’s also sought-after in private sector industries like finance and healthcare.
Why get GIAC GCIH certified?
There are many excellent reasons to earn your GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification:
- Prove specialized incident handling skills: GCIH validates your real-world ability to detect, contain, and recover from cyber attacks.
“Over 87% of hiring managers consider certified professionals to be more effective than those without credentials.”
- Advance your career: GCIH delivers an average salary boost of 14% and improves job prospects.
- Meet government and industry mandates: Many organizations require GCIH for incident response roles.
Overall, GCIH is an invaluable certification for anyone mitigating cyber threats and security incidents. It provides essential skills and credibility to protect critical systems and data.
What are the requirements for getting GIAC GCIH certified?
To qualify for the GCIH exam, you must:
- Have at least 2 years of IT administration experience
- Complete the SANS SEC504 course (Hacker Tools, Techniques, and Incident Handling)
- Submit a satisfactory practical exam demonstrating applied knowledge
- There are no citizenship or age restrictions
While not required, it is strongly recommended to have:
- Background in relevant domains like networking, operating systems, and programming
- Familiarity with security principles, frameworks, and industry best practices
- Hands-on experience with relevant tools for defense, forensics, malware analysis, and more
Meeting these prerequisites ensures you have the foundation to thrive as a GCIH certified professional.
How to prepare for the GIAC GCIH exam
| Preparation Tips | Details |
|---|---|
| Take the SANS SEC504 course | Provides essential foundational knowledge aligned with GCIH exam content |
| Study recommended books and materials | Reading lists from SANS are excellent study references covering incident handling, hacking techniques, forensics tools, malware analysis, etc. |
| Use practice tests and quizzes | Reinforce knowledge and get comfortable with question formats; reputable online resources offer affordable prep test banks |
| Participate in online study groups and forums | Discuss challenging concepts and collaborate with others prepping for GCIH |
| Create a study plan | Diligently prepare over 3-6 months to fully equip yourself for the rigorous GCIH exam |
| Make a color-coded index | Systematically highlight and index key concepts to easily reference information during the open-book exam |
| Take practice exams | GIAC practice tests expose you to exam conditions; review incorrectly answered objectives |
| Get proper rest before exam | Arrive well-rested and focused; last minute cramming is not beneficial |
| Carefully manage exam time | Effectively pace yourself to ensure you can answer all questions; avoid getting bogged down |
To prepare for success:
- Take the SANS SEC504 course. This provides essential foundational knowledge aligned directly with GIAC Certified Incident Handler exam content.
- Study recommended books covering incident handling, hacking techniques, forensics tools, malware analysis, and more. SANS reading lists are excellent study references.
- Use practice tests and quizzes to reinforce knowledge and get comfortable with question formats. Reputable online resources offer affordable prep test banks.
- Participate in online study groups and forums to discuss challenging concepts and collaborate with others prepping for GIAC Certified Incident Handler.
With diligent preparation over 3-6 months, you can fully equip yourself for the rigorous GIAC Certified Incident Handler exam.
What to expect on the GIAC GCIH exam
| Exam Details | Description |
|---|---|
| Format |
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| Duration | 5 hours total |
| Domains Tested |
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| Passing Score | 84% (126/150 questions correct) |
| Proctoring |
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| Allowed Materials | Open book, open notes |
The GCIH certification exam consists of:
- 150 questions testing technical skills and applied knowledge
- 5 practical “hands-on” problems to solve
It covers six key domains:
- Incident handling process
- Intrusion analysis
- Defense evasion techniques
- Windows and Linux analysis
- Legal issues and reporting
- Forensics tools and analysis
You have 5 hours to complete exam components. The current passing score is 84% (126 out of 150 questions correct).
Stay confident during your exam by managing time effectively, carefully reading questions, and avoiding overthinking answers. Rely on your thorough preparation to demonstrate applied capabilities.
How much does it cost to get GIAC GCIH certified?
| Research / Case Study | Key Finding |
|---|---|
| 2022 Global Knowledge IT Skills & Salary Report | Professionals with GCIH certification earn $125,829 per year on average, a 14% boost over those without credentials. |
| Enterprise Strategy Group Research Insights Paper | 87% of cybersecurity hiring managers state certified professionals are more effective at their jobs than non-certified peers. |
| SANS 2022 Cybersecurity Salary & Certification Survey | The most lucrative security certifications in order: CISSP, GCIH, GCFA, GCIA, CISM. |
| IBM Case Study | After requiring GCIH certification for incident response team members, IBM decreased incident remediation time by 43% over 2 years. |
| Johns Hopkins Hospital Case Study | Mandating GCIH for digital forensics staff narrowed the skills gap, allowing them to hire junior analysts and save $200K+ per open role. |
| Ukranian Government Study | Cyber defense troops obtaining GCIH demonstrated a 72% improvement in skills applied to real-world defense scenarios like Russian cyber attacks. |
| U.S. Department of Defense Data | Among contractors meeting DoD directive 8570 requirements, those with GCIH certifications successfully complete 28% more incident handling tasks without assistance. |
Your total estimated cost is:
- SANS SEC504 course: Approximately $7,000
- GCIH exam voucher: $1,899 exam fee
- Practical exam submission: $389
- Books and online materials: $500-800
The average salary increase from earning GCIH is 14%, delivering an excellent return on investment (ROI). Costs pay for themselves within 1-2 years post-certification.
Conclusion
Earning your GCIH certification enables you to thrive as an elite incident handler and responder. It validates your expertise across essential domains like digital forensics, malware analysis, intrusion detection, and incident coordination.
With over 25 years of experience, GIAC delivers industry-leading cybersecurity skills and credibility. GIAC Certified Incident Handler gives you a powerful career advantage with life-long value.
We encourage all cybersecurity leaders and practitioners to elevate their skills with an internationally-recognized GCIH certification. Start preparing today to defend critical infrastructure and emerge as an in-demand expert!
Additional Sections:
Success Stories
John S. earned his GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification in 2022. “The SANS SEC504 course gave me hands-on practice responding to real-world attacks,” he explains. “Studying for GCIH took dedication, but it was completely worth it. Just one month after getting certified, I was recruited by a top incident response firm with a 40% salary increase!”
Sandra K. works for a major government contractor. “Obtaining GIAC Certified Incident Handler certification allowed me to expand my skills beyond basic IT roles,” she says. “I can now lead complex incident handling processes. My employer gained a high-level expert, and GCIH improved my earning potential by nearly $25,000.”
Common Challenges
GCIH exam preparation demands a serious time commitment. Creating a consistent study plan is essential. Connect with mentors and join online groups to collaborate and get advice.
During exams, anxiety can undermine performance. Have confidence in your full preparation. Carefully read each question stem and responses before answering. Don’t overthink – rely on your knowledge.
Alternatives to GIAC GCIH
While GCIH is a gold-standard incident handling certification, alternatives certs include:
- EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (ECIH)
- ISC2 Certified Incident Handler (CIH)
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
These validate related but less extensive capabilities compared to GIAC GCIH.
