The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. A range of individuals from auditors and network administrators, to chief information security officers are sharing the lessons they learn and are jointly finding solutions to the challenges they face. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners in varied global organizations from corporations to universities working together to help the entire information security community.
GIAC Certifications (previously Global Information Assurance Certification) was founded in 1999 to validate the skills of information security professionals. GIAC's purpose is to provide assurance that a certified individual has the knowledge and skills necessary for a practitioner in key areas of computer, information, and software security. GIAC certifications are trusted by thousands of companies and government agencies worldwide.
GIAC certifications are unique because they measure specific skills and knowledge areas rather than general infosec knowledge. GIAC certifications are valid for four years. Students must review new course information and retake the exams or earn 36 CPEs every four years to remain certified.Different education and certification tracks are available for the following categories:
Offensive Operations
Cyber Defense
Cloud Security
Industrial Control Systems
Digital Forensics & Incident Response
Cybersecurity Leadership
GIAC was the first true technical infosec certification. The first GIAC professionals were certified in February of 2000, and just under 1,000 candidates were certified in our first year alone. Currently to date, around 200,000 GIAC certifications have been issued.