A Detailed Report on Cybersecurity Certifications: GIAC Analysis

This report examines cybersecurity certifications, specifically focusing on the GIAC certifications. It begins by highlighting the role and importance of cybersecurity certifications in validating skills for professionals and students. The report then delves into the various certification streams offered by GIAC, including Cyber Defense, Penetration Testing, and Incident Response. A detailed table provides an overview of specific certifications within the Cyber Defense stream, such as Security Essentials, Certified Enterprise Defender, and Certified Detection Analyst, outlining their focus areas and key skills. The report emphasizes the relevance of these certifications in addressing current trends in information systems security, especially in the area of cyber defense. It concludes by noting the structured approach GIAC takes in organizing its streams and exams to facilitate individuals in their cybersecurity careers.

Running head: SECURITY CERTIFICATIONS
Security Certifications
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note:

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GIAC is an organization that has the mission for providing assurance to the employers
with better skills (GIAC, 2019). This organization validates the skills of the security
professionals. The main prospect of this organization is to provide an individual with
maximum knowledge as well as skills that are necessary for the employees of organizations
and for students at universities (Davis, 2019). The Security Certification genres that are
available at the GIAC Certifications for a professional or a student are listed below:
 Cyber Defense Penetration Testing Incident Response and Forensics Management, Audit and Legal Developer Industrial Control Systems
 GSE
According to the latest going trends in information systems security, it will be very
helpful for an individual to opt for the Cyber Defense Courses. This is the most important
department of an organization as this helps to identify the potential risks that arises in it
(Fields, Nesbit & Von Thaer, 2016). This department should ensure the maximum level
of security to the network security protocols of an organization. This can be done if
proper knowledge as well as expertise are present within the employees. The certification
that an individual can avail within the cyber defense stream is listed in the table below:

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Certification Focused areas
Certified Intrusion
Analyst
Basics in Traffic Analysis, Open Source IDS, Forensics
and Monitoring of Network Traffic, Application
Protocols.
Security Essentials
Concepts of Networking, Security in Linux OS, Depth
Defense, Secure Communications, Adversary detection,
Attack prevention
Certified Enterprise
Defender
Defensive Network Infrastructure, Analysis of Packet,
Pen Testing as well as Vulnerability Analysis and its
Mitigation, Response for Incident, Prevention from
Malware and Loss of Data
Information security
Fundamentals
Information Security Foundations, Cryptography, Host
Protection
Continuous Monitoring
Certification
Security Architecture, Network Security Monitoring,
Architecture for Endpoint Security, Continuous and
Automation Monitoring
Certified Windows
Security Administrator
Windows OS and Application Hardening, PowerShell
Scripting and Managing Cryptography, Dynamic Access
Control as well as DNS
Certified Detection
Analyst
SIEM Architecture and SOF-ELK, Service Profiling,
Advanced Endpoint Analytics, Base lining and User
Behaviour Monitoring, Tactical SIEM Detection
There are many other certifications available in the website of GIAC that can be
helpful to the individuals, regarding their knowledge and skills for the cyber security systems
(Knapp, Maurer & Plachkinova, 2017). The above stated certifications are generally

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necessary for an individual who are associated in the fields of cyber security. Hence, the
GIAC certification has structured their streams and courses in such a manner that any
individual is facilitated by it in their career. Moreover, the exam options regarding these
certifications are also structured in a proper manner that it will be very helpful for the
individuals opting for the specified certifications.

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References
Davis, A. (2019). The Role of Cybersecurity Certifications. In Cybersecurity Education for
Awareness and Compliance (pp. 222-248). IGI Global.
Fields, C., Nesbit, R., & Von Thaer, L. (2016). Cyber Defense Management. DEFENSE
SCIENCE BOARD WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC United States.
GIAC, C. (2019). Cyber Security Certifications - GIAC Certifications. Retrieved from
https://www.giac.org/
Knapp, K. J., Maurer, C., & Plachkinova, M. (2017). Maintaining a Cybersecurity
Curriculum: Professional Certifications as Valuable Guidance. Journal of Information
Systems Education, 28(2), 101.