GPEN — GIAC Penetration Tester
GIAC's penetration testing certification and the primary DoD 8140 approved option for pentesters in government and contractor roles. The CyberLive hands-on component adds practical weight but the exam is still predominantly multiple-choice, which draws consistent criticism from practitioners who argue it validates knowledge rather than exploitation skill. DoD 8140 approval is GPEN's primary competitive advantage — for government roles that require a DoD-approved pentesting cert, GPEN is the standard answer. Add SANS SEC560 training at roughly $8,500 to get real value from the curriculum.
| Issuer | GIAC / SANS Institute |
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| Level | intermediate |
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| Domains | Offensive Security |
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| Practical weight | 25% |
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| Cost (USD) | 999 |
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| Renewal | 4 years (36 CPEs + $499 renewal fee) |
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| DoD 8140 | Yes |
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| Skills | penetration_testing_methodology, network_scanning, reconnaissance_techniques, privilege_escalation, active_directory_attacks, password_attacks |
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Official certification page
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