SANS ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials
RecommendedGIAC names its affiliated SANS course as the best preparation for GICSP. You can buy an attempt without it.
Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP)
Validates hands-on knowledge of securing industrial control systems, including architecture, threats and attacks, communications, hardening, governance and recovery.
Summary
GICSP is GIAC's practitioner certification for industrial control system security. It covers ICS architecture, attacks across the Purdue levels, industrial protocols, endpoint hardening, governance and incident response, in an open book exam with CyberLive tasks in live virtual machines.
Good fit if
- You work with or want to enter ICS, SCADA or OT security
- You have IT security or controls engineering experience
- You want the ICS/OT credential employers most often request
Salary & jobs
Prerequisites
Cost
What holders say
The ICS/OT credential practitioners see requested most
OT security practitioners name GICSP as the most requested paid credential in the field, with ISA/IEC 62443 second. One who reviews OT resumes had never seen a rival ICS certification.
Cost is the main barrier
Commenters call GICSP worthwhile but point to the price: $999 for the exam and $9,230 for ICS410. One person already working in OT security said they held off because of the expense.
Experience still matters more
People hiring for OT security say control-system experience and judgment, such as avoiding outages and understanding safety, matter more than certifications. Some of the strongest engineers they know hold no ICS certification.
Renewal
GICSP is valid for 4 years.
- Validity
- 4 years
- Renewal requirement
- 36 CPEs per cycle
- Renewal fee
- $499 USD $249 for each extra GIAC renewal within 2 years
You can renew by passing the current exam again instead of submitting CPEs. Renewal opens 2 years before your expiry date, and SANS courses or new GIAC certifications can supply all 36 CPEs.
GIAC renewal ↗Alternatives
GSEC$999 required · Intermediate
Broader general-security GIAC credential if you want practitioner-level coverage beyond ICS/OT.
GCIH$999 required · Intermediate
GIAC's general incident-response credential, if your work isn't specifically industrial control systems.
SSCP$384 required · Intermediate
Broader, ISC2-backed practitioner credential for general security fundamentals rather than ICS/OT specialization.
FAQ
Is GICSP hard?
It spans both IT security and control systems, so most candidates meet unfamiliar material. The exam also includes CyberLive tasks.
Do I need the SANS ICS410 course to get GICSP?
No. You can buy the $999 attempt on its own. Many candidates say the questions follow the ICS410 books closely, which makes self-study harder.
What is GICSP's passing score?
71% on an 82-question exam taken in 3 hours.
Is the GICSP exam open book?
Yes, for printed books and notes. Laptops, phones, electronic files and printed practice questions are not allowed.
How long is GICSP valid for?
4 years. Renew with 36 CPEs and a $499 fee, or by passing the exam again.
Last updated October 2026