Hey there, friends Rich Greene here.
If you’ve been around the cybersecurity space for a minute, you’ve probably heard of GIAC certifications. But today, I want to talk about a specific king that completely reshaped how I view testing and skills validation: GIAC Applied Knowledge Exams.
These exams aren’t just a step up, they’re a leap. Whether you’re looking to challenge yourself, validate your real-world skills, or just prove you’re not all talk, stick around because this post is for you.
What Are GIAC Applied Knowledge Exams?
Let’s get this part clear right off the bat: Applied Knowledge Exams are not your run-of-the-mill multiple-choice tests. These are full-on, hands-on, CyberLive experiences.
You're dropped into a virtual machine environment where you're expected to demonstrate your skills in real time. No “select all that apply,” no “what does this acronym stand for.” Just you, a keyboard, and a time limit. It’s pure problem-solving under pressure.
What makes these exams powerful is their focus on application. You won’t be asked to regurgitate command-line syntax. Instead, you’ll be solving multi-step challenges, synthesizing information, and simulating how you’d operate in a real-life environment. These are exams built for doers, not guessers.
Another bonus? They stack. Passing an Applied Knowledge Exam counts toward the GIAC Security Professional (GSP) milestone. And if you're aiming for the cybersecurity version of a black belt, the GIAC Security Expert (GSE), these exams help pave that path.
How Are They Different from Practitioner Exams?
If you’ve taken GIAC Practitioner exams before, you might be thinking, “I’ve got this.” Not so fast.
While traditional GIAC exams are mostly multiple-choice questions with maybe a handful of CyberLive components sprinkled in), Applied Knowledge Exams are 100% CyberLive. Every. Single. Question.
And these aren’t one-and-done challenges. Each question typically includes several parts, requiring layered understanding. You need to know which tools to use, how to interpret the output, and how to pivot based on what you find.
Think of Practitioner exams as testing your knowledge. Applied Knowledge exams? They test your capability.
Why I Took One
Let me pull the curtain back a little.
When I first started diving into the cybersecurity world and came across SANS and GIAC, one certification stood out above all others: the GSE. It was the mountain summit. The elite level.
For me, as a former Green Beret, that spoke to something deep inside. I’ve never wanted to be “better than everyone else,” just better than yesterday’s version of me. The GSE felt like one of those challenges that, if I could conquer it, I’d look back on and say, “Yep. That was worth every second.”
That’s the personal reason. But professionally? It’s simple: when I see someone with a GIAC Applied Knowledge certification, I know they can do the job. They don’t just talk about cybersecurity, they live it. That’s a huge deal when hiring, building teams, or seeking credibility.
How I Prepared
Here’s the reality: you can’t prepare for these exams the same way you would for a traditional exam. There’s no single course that hands you all the answers in one nice, neat bundle. Instead, you have to be intentional and proactive.
Here’s what worked for me:
- Start at the source – Head to GIAC’s certification page for Applied Knowledge exams. Bookmark it. Study it.
- Focus on Exam Certification Objectives and Outcome Statements – These are gold. They outline exactly what you need to know. Go line by line and ask yourself: Can I do this right now? If the answer is no, then that’s your next focus of study.
- Review Other Resources – GIAC provides a handful of recommended resources. These aren't filler. They matter. This will show you the courses that most align with the exam.
- Buy the Demo Questions – Yes, they cost a little extra, but they’re 100% worth it. I’ll explain why in a second.
What the Exam Is Like
The exam interface looks familiar if you’ve taken a GIAC exam before: same proctored environment, same countdown timer in the top corner quietly trying to stress you out.
But unlike traditional exams, an index won’t help you here. Forget flipping through that carefully tabbed binder you spent hours organizing. This is all hands-on.
Here’s a tip: SANS course cheat sheets are your best friend. Those 1–2-page course or tool-specific reference guides are priceless. You can find them from The Ultimate List of SANS Cheat Sheets. Bring them. Use them. Love them.
Each question has a weight and I’m not talking about scoring, but in mental effort. You’ll need to manage your time, your resources, and stress. Which leads me to...
Lessons I Learned (So You Don’t Have To)
I made a few mistakes during my exam attempt. You don’t have to repeat them. Here are my top three takeaways:
Time Management Is Everything
I took the GX-CS (GIAC Experienced Cyber Security) exam which gave me 4 hours for 25 questions. That’s about 9.6 minutes per question. It seems doable...until one question throws you off and eats 15-20 minutes.
Set a timer. If you’re stuck after 10 minutes, move on. You don’t want to run out of time and miss multiple questions because one challenge stole all your time. Trust me, you’ll need that mental reset.
Use the Demo Questions
I bought the demo questions and then... forgot to use them. Big mistake.
Those demo questions give you a feel for how the tasks are structured, which tools you might use, and the type of thinking required. They’re your practice field before game day. Don’t walk in blind like I did.
Be Brutally Honest About Your Skills
When you go through the exam objectives, listen to your gut. If a topic makes your stomach flip or you hesitate, don’t ignore it. That’s your brain warning you: You’re not ready for this part.
Find tutorials, labs, videos, spin up a VM, and practice. It’s better to spend extra time prepping than panicking mid-exam.
Final Thoughts: You Got This
These exams are hard. They’re supposed to be. They test your skills, decision-making, and endurance.
But here’s the deal; if you want to prove that you’ve got real, usable cybersecurity skills, this is how you do it.
Whether you're eyeing the GSP, gunning for the GSE, or just want to know you're not bluffing your way through infosec, take the leap. Go for the Applied Knowledge exam.
You won’t just walk away with a certification. You’ll walk away with confidence.
Thanks for hanging out with me. If you decide to take one of these exams, drop me a line. I want to hear about it.
Until next time, keep learning, keep pushing, and never stop leveling up.