Certification - June 2008 - (Page 24)

INSIDE CERTIFICATION GIAC: The Hands-On IT Security Certification JEFF PIKE When GIAC founder Stephen Northcutt moved from network management to the information assurance function, he observed that many people came to work day after day to produce policies or run tools with no understanding of the fundamental technologies and principles of security. They were often stressed out, secretive, edgy and defensive because they knew they did not have the understanding or mastery of tools they needed to be effective. And unskilled security professionals do not reduce risk; in fact, they put their organizations in jeopardy. To address this concern, in 1999, Northcutt — a renowned pioneer of intrusion detection who currently serves as president of the SANS Technology Institute — created the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) program, which has since credentialed more than 20,000 professionals and is leading the industry in technical, job task-based IT security certification. Unlike many other IT security certifications with a broader focus, GIAC is unique in offering 25 different IT security certifications tailored to specific skill sets. GIAC’s mission is to provide assurance to employers that their people can do the job. The objectives for each GIAC certification are developed in collaboration with some of the top subject matter experts in the industry. The most popular GIAC certifications include GCFA (Forensics), GCIA (Intrusion Analysis), GCIH (Incident Handling and Hacker Exploits), GSEC (Security Essentials), GSLC (Security Leadership) and GREM (Reverse Engineering Malware). Most of these certifications are unique in the industry, and updating each certification to reflect the latest standards is a continuous process. The GREM certification, which validates the skills of those responsible for detecting and reverse engineering malware, is being updated with the latest techniques for analyzing worms, Trojans and other malware plaguing the industry. According to Lenny Zeltser, lead author of the SANS course “ReverseEngineering Malware” and co-author of the book Malware: Fighting Malicious Code, “The evolution of malware demands a broader and more comprehensive skill set from the analysts, and GIAC has met this need by expanding the GREM certification. I don’t know of any other professional designation that certifies this unique group of people.” Because of the specialized skill sets validated by GIAC certifications, they are recognized as some of the most relevant in the industry. According to Wayne Ho, business information security officer at Global Bank, “GIAC certifications are the only hardcore, hands-on technical certifications available in the market.” As an example of how certifying specialized skill sets translates to getting the job done, Ho said, “GIAC proves that I have a solid technical background to support any challenge I deal with every day. There are so many new tools coming up daily, but the underlying background affirmed by GIAC essentially remains the same.” Beneﬁts of GIAC Certiﬁcation For individuals, a GIAC certification validates a jobbased skill set that favorably influences job security and a higher rate of pay. It also reinforces that the person has the knowledge and skills to handle the job at hand. Peter Leight of Universal Orlando said, “There is no question in my mind that my SANS/ 24 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE June 2008

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Certification - June 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream Tech Careers Academic Connection Dear Techie Virtual Village Online Degrees: Are They Right for You? Inside Certification New Opportunities and Challenges: Are Application Developers Ready? Interface Where Have All the Help Desks Gone? Ad Index Endtag

Certification - June 2008

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