GCIH (GIAC) Study Guide

Provider: GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification)

Difficulty: 💡💡💡💡 (Difficult)

Ideal For: Incident responders, SOC analysts, threat hunters, security operations professionals, and learners seeking hands‑on skills in detecting, analyzing, and responding to cyber incidents.

Quick Start Summary

Exam Name: GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
Exam Code: GCIH
Length: 4–5 hours
Questions: Approximately 100–150
Format: Multiple choice
Passing Score: Varies by exam version (typically 70%+)
Delivery: Proctored (remote or in‑person)
Recommended Experience: SOC experience, familiarity with attacker techniques, and hands‑on exposure to incident response workflows
Renewal: Every 4 years (CPEs required)

Overview
What the Exam Covers (Domains)
How Hard Is the GCIH
How Long It Takes to Prepare
Recommended Study Resources
Study Strategy
30‑Day / 60‑Day / 90‑Day Study Plans
Exam‑Day Tips
After You Pass
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Links

1. Overview

GCIH is GIAC’s incident handling certification focused on attacker techniques, defensive strategies, and real‑world incident response workflows. It validates your ability to detect, analyze, and respond to cyber incidents using structured processes and hands‑on tools.

GCIH emphasizes threat actor behaviors, exploitation methods, malware fundamentals, and the practical steps required to contain and remediate incidents. It is widely recognized in SOC and IR teams and is often paired with SANS training, though training is not required.

Within the Cybersecurity Pathway, GCIH sits at the intermediate‑to‑advanced level for learners pursuing incident response and threat detection roles.

2. What the Exam Covers (Domains)

The GCIH exam covers attacker techniques, defensive strategies, and structured incident response processes.

Domain 1: Incident Handling and Response

Preparation, identification, containment, eradication, and recovery
Incident documentation and communication
Evidence handling and chain of custody

Domain 2: Hacker Techniques and Exploits

Common attack vectors and exploitation methods
Privilege escalation and lateral movement
Reconnaissance, scanning, and enumeration

Domain 3: Malware and Attack Tools

Malware fundamentals and indicators
Command‑and‑control techniques
Common attacker toolkits and frameworks

Domain 4: Defensive Tools and Techniques

Log analysis and monitoring
Network and host‑based detection
Containment and mitigation strategies

Domain 5: System and Network Security

Operating system security basics
Network protocols and defensive controls
Vulnerability identification and remediation

3. How Hard Is the GCIH

GCIH is considered a difficult certification due to its focus on attacker behavior, hands‑on tools, and real‑world incident response workflows.

Learners often find GCIH challenging because:

It requires understanding both offensive and defensive techniques
Incident response scenarios require structured reasoning
Malware and exploit concepts can be complex

Learners succeed when they:

Practice with attacker tools in safe lab environments
Work through incident response scenarios
Use practice questions to build pattern recognition

4. How Long It Takes to Prepare

Experienced SOC/IR professionals: 6–10 weeks
Security professionals with limited IR exposure: 10–14 weeks
New to incident response: 12–16 weeks

Hands‑on practice with attacker tools and IR workflows is the biggest factor in preparation time.

5. Recommended Study Resources

GCIH candidates benefit from a mix of conceptual study, attacker tool practice, and scenario‑based exercises.

Official GIAC materials: Exam objectives and domain outlines
Practice questions: Scenario‑based items that mirror the exam style
Hands‑on labs: Malware analysis basics, exploit testing, and IR simulations
Video instruction: Domain walkthroughs and attacker technique demonstrations
Notes and summaries: Flashcards, cheat sheets, and domain summaries

6. Study Strategy

Step 1: Review the Domains and Exam Objectives

Start with the five domains and identify areas where you lack IR or attacker‑technique experience.

Step 2: Build a Study Plan

Select a 30‑, 60‑, or 90‑day plan based on your background and schedule.

Step 3: Practice Attacker Tools

Use safe lab environments to explore scanning, exploitation, and malware behaviors.

Step 4: Study Incident Response Processes

Focus on containment, eradication, recovery, and documentation workflows.

Step 5: Use Practice Questions

Scenario‑based questions help build the reasoning needed for IR decision‑making.

Step 6: Final 7‑Day Review

Focus on high‑yield topics: attacker tools, IR steps, malware fundamentals, and detection techniques.

7. 30‑Day / 60‑Day / 90‑Day Study Plans

30‑Day Accelerated Plan

Week 1: Domains 1–2
Week 2: Domains 3–4
Week 3: Domain 5
Week 4: Practice exams + targeted review

60‑Day Standard Plan

Weeks 1–2: Domain 1
Weeks 3–4: Domain 2
Weeks 5–6: Domain 3
Weeks 7–8: Domains 4–5 + practice exams

90‑Day Beginner Plan

Weeks 1–4: Domain 1
Weeks 5–8: Domain 2
Weeks 9–10: Domain 3
Weeks 11–12: Domains 4–5
Final 2–3 weeks: Practice exams + consolidation

8. Exam‑Day Tips

Expect attacker‑technique and IR scenario questions
Read each question carefully — wording matters
Use elimination to narrow down choices
Map each scenario to the IR lifecycle
Manage your time — the exam can be lengthy

9. After You Pass

Update your resume and LinkedIn profile
Begin earning CPEs for renewal
Explore incident response, threat hunting, and SOC roles
Consider next steps: GCIA, CySA+, CCSP, or malware analysis certifications

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Is GCIH harder than GSEC?

Yes. GCIH focuses on attacker techniques and incident response, which require deeper technical reasoning.

Do I need hands‑on experience?

It helps significantly. Familiarity with attacker tools and IR workflows makes the exam easier.

Is SANS training required?

No. SANS courses are recommended but not required to take the exam.

How many practice exams should I take?

Most learners take 2–3 practice exams to build confidence and identify weak areas.

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GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler) Study Guide