GDAT
GIAC Defending Advanced Threats
GIAC Defending Advanced Threats
› Quality score
Four-axis SecProve rubric, each 0–10. SecProve editorial assessment — each axis carries a written justification so you can push back on any single call without dismissing the whole score.
› Exam format
75 questions + CyberLive, 3 hours, open-book, proctored via Pearson VUE. Passing score: ~70%.
30-day wait between attempts. SANS course bundles typically include 2 attempts.
› Recertification
Valid for 4 years. Renewal by 36 CPE credits or renewal exam (479 USD). Each GIAC cert separately.
› NICE Framework work roles
The NIST NICE work-role IDs this cert maps to. NICCS lookup.
› Core domains covered
The 3 domains this cert is centrally about. Passing the exam demonstrates working knowledge of each.
SIGMA/YARA/Suricata rule writing, hypothesis-driven hunting, log deep-dives, detection gap analysis.
CTI lifecycle, MITRE ATT&CK, IOCs/TTPs, threat modeling (STRIDE, PASTA), STIX/TAXII.
Honeypots, honeytokens, canary tokens, deception platforms, moving target defense, MITRE D3FEND, adversary engagement.
› Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites. Associated SANS course strongly recommended.
› Progression
requiredrecommendedWhere this cert fits in the typical learning path. Required edges are vendor-gated; recommended edges reflect de facto industry progression.
No vendor-gated prereqs.
No certs require this one.
No follow-on certs reference this one yet.
› Study materials
Curated starting points. Not exhaustive — vet each against your learning style and the current exam version.
- SANS SEC599 Course Materials — SANS
- GIAC Practice Tests (2 included with exam)
› Version & lifecycle
› Salary signal
Senior detection engineer / purple team operator, US, 5+ years.
Robert Half Salary Guide · 2024 · US base only · p25–p75 range
› How it compares
GDAT is detection + purple-team focused; GCIH is incident response. Often paired.
↔ Compare side-by-side› Careers that commonly pursue this cert
Design, build, and maintain security infrastructure. The architects of an organization's defensive posture.
Build detection rules, tune SIEM systems, and hunt for threats that evade automated defenses.
See this cert’s domains highlighted on the interactive map, or compare it against the rest of the catalog.