GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) Certification

What is the GPEN Certification?

The GIAC® Penetration Tester (GPEN) is a vendor-neutral certification created and administered by the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC). The GPEN certification is internationally recognized as a validation of advanced-level penetration testing skills.

The certification is tailored for security personnel whose job duties involve targeting networks to find security vulnerabilities. The exam tests the ability of candidates to conduct penetration tests by using various methodologies, their understanding the legal issues around penetration testing, and the technical and non-technical aspects of pentesting.

Who Should Earn the GPEN?

The GPEN is a technical certification that demonstrates a person’s understanding of utilizing a process-oriented approach to pentesting and reporting. Professionals who may benefit from a GPEN certification include:

• People responsible for conducting penetration tests or security assessments
• Ethical hackers
• IT security auditors
• Incident responders and computer forensic investigators
• IT and information security professionals who want to expand their knowledge about offensive security

How Does the GPEN Certification Exam Work?

To obtain a GPEN certification, candidates must pass the certification exam. The exam is proctored and has:

• 115 questions
• A time limit of 3 hours
• A minimum passing score of 74%

To register for a GPEN certification attempt, you need to submit an online application and pay a $1,699 fee. Alternatively, you can take a training course that includes an exam voucher, such as the GPEN boot camp offered by InfoSec Institute.

The GPEN certification must be renewed after four years in order to keep up with the ever-changing field of cybersecurity.

What Experience Do You Need to Take the GPEN Exam?

There are no specific prerequisites for the GPEN certification. However, you should have a firm understanding of the Windows operating system, using the Windows and Linux command line, computer networking and TCP/IP protocols, and a basic understanding (Read more...)