GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT) icon

GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT)

Practitioner Certification

The GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT) certification validates a practitioner's understanding of developing and maintaining cyber security programs as well as proven business analysis, strategic planning, and management tools. GSTRT certification holders have demonstrated their knowledge of building and managing cyber security programs with an eye towards meeting the needs of the business, board members, and executives.

Areas Covered

  • Business and Threat Analysis
  • Security Programs and Security Policy
  • Effective Leadership and Communications

Who is GSTRT for?

  • CISOs
  • Information security officers
  • Security directors
  • Security managers
  • Aspiring security leaders
  • Other security personnel who have team lead or management responsibilities

Exam Format

  • 1 proctored exam
  • 75 questions
  • 3 hours
  • Minimum passing score of 76%

NOTE: GIAC reserves the right to change the specifications for each certification without notice. Based on a scientific passing point study, the passing point for the GSTRT exam has been determined to be 76% for all candidates receiving access to their certification attempts on or after November 5th, 2022. To verify the format and passing point of your specific certification attempt, read the Certification Information found in your account at https://exams.giac.org/pages/attempts.

Delivery

NOTE: All GIAC Certification exams are web-based and required to be proctored. There are two proctoring options: remote proctoring through ProctorU, and onsite proctoring through PearsonVUE. Click here for more information.

GIAC certification attempts will be activated in your GIAC account after your application has been approved and according to the terms of your purchase. Details on delivery will be provided along with your registration confirmation upon payment. You will receive an email notification when your certification attempt has been activated in your account. You will have 120 days from the date of activation to complete your certification attempt.

Exam Certification Objectives & Outcome Statements

  • Effective Management & Comms
    The candidate will demonstrate an understanding of effective team management and communication techniques.
  • Leadership & Change
    The candidate will demonstrate an understanding of leadership and leading organizational change.
  • Policy Development
    The candidate will demonstrate an understanding of security principles, policies, and procedures, and be able to develop effective security policies.
  • Policy Management
    The candidate will demonstrate the ability to assess, manage, and improve security policies and procedures.
  • Security Program Analysis
    The candidate will understand how to analyze a company's current security program and future needs while taking organizational values and culture into account.
  • Security Program Development
    The candidate will be able to develop a security roadmap and build a complete program including business case, metrics, and socialization of the program.
  • Understanding the Business
    The candidate will understand vision and mission as they pertain to business, key stake holders, as well as business analysis techniques.
  • Understanding the Threats
    The candidate will understand threat actors and motivations and be able to perform threat analysis.

Other Resources

  • Training is available in a variety of modalities including live training and OnDemand
  • Practical work experience can help ensure that you have mastered the skills necessary for certification
  • College level courses or self paced study through another program or materials may meet the needs for mastery.
  • Get information about the procedure to contest exam results.

Practice Tests

  • These tests are a simulation of the real exam allowing you to become familiar with the test engine and style of questions.
  • Practice exams are a gauge to determine if your preparation methods are sufficient.
  • The practice bank questions are limited so you may encounter the same question on practice tests when multiple practice tests are purchased.
  • Practice exams never include actual exam questions.
  • Purchase a GSTRT practice test here.
  • GIAC recommends leveraging additional study methods for test preparation.

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