Passed GCIH

Just getting around to posting this now, passed the GCIH back on 6-9-16

I took the SEC504 course through work study at SANS Security West in San Diego with Bryce. Followed the usual template of watching the OnDemand videos, make an index, take both practice exams, updated index and PASSED.

Cheers!

On to the next thing in my queue.

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NetworkNewb

Congratz!!

cyberguypr

Congrats!

JoJoCal19

Congrats on the pass!

NetworkNewb

Did you do any studying or read any books beforehand? Just trying to think if I need to do some preparation before my SEC504 course in a month. I did buy the Counter Hack Reloaded book and should be arriving today. Plan on at least going through that. Just want to be prepared as I've never done a SANS course and not really sure how much they expect everyone to know about the topics beforehand.

LionelTeo

Get familiar with some linux hands on would be useful.

iBrokeIT

No, I didn't do any prep work. At the end of the first day you'll do a Linux review as well as receive Linux and Windows **** sheets. I would suggest you keep pounding away at your eCPPT because there is likely to be some overlap there.

Only things I recommend are to get plenty of sleep, make a good index and screenshot your practice exam question/answers for review later (I used Screenhunter).

NetworkNewb

Sounds good, thank you!

TechGromit

Congratulations, iBrokeIT.

Just came back from taking my GCIH Exam today (6/16/2016), I thought is was pretty tough. Managed to squeeze by with a 78%, but had less then 15 minutes left. I had a good 30 minutes left when I took the practice exams. My index wasn't nearly are complete as I thought it was, lessened learned. Next exam I'm going to index every word, including the "the" and "at" words.

BillHoo

Good job iBrokIT. You passed on 6/9 and you're just now gettin' back to us? What were you doing? Sleeping!

jones551

Congrats!

iBrokeIT

BillHoo wrote: »

What were you doing? Sleeping!

Crushed the MN MS150 which is a 150 mile charity bike ride to raise money for MS:

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iBrokeIT

TechGromit wrote: »

Managed to squeeze by with a 78%

Congratulations!

BillHoo

TechGromit - Congrats on the pass!

I sit for my exam this Friday coming up.

I did miserably on my first practice exam last week - scored 50.

Added 200 more entries to my index... Now over 1950 entries.

My doctor had prescribed statin drugs for cholesterol and I think they have been messing with my focus. I stopped taking them a few days ago and I took a Berocca supplement this morning to see if it improves my clarity.

Taking second practice exam today.

BillHoo

Congrats on the bike ride too!

When I finish the exam, I'm going to sleep!

iBrokeIT wrote: »

Crushed the MN MS150 which is a 150 mile charity bike ride to raise money for MS:

DAVIS NGUYEN

Congrats!

TechGromit

BillHoo wrote: »

I did miserably on my first practice exam last week - scored 50.

Added 200 more entries to my index... Now over 1950 entries.

For a comparison, my index had 1200 entries when I took the exam, it wasn't as complete as I thought it was. If you do not do well on your 2nd practice test, I would suggest paying to extend you testing date, your not ready.

zxbane

Congrats! Awesome work with the charity ride as well.

I am trying to get my employer to pay for me to go to GCIH coming up in August as well but we will see..

BillHoo

TechGromit wrote: »

For a comparison, my index had 1200 entries when I took the exam, it wasn't as complete as I thought it was. If you do not do well on your 2nd practice test, I would suggest paying to extend you testing date, your not ready.

For my second Practice exam, I got a 71. My average was 72 as I was taking it and I took a restroom break and went back on it after 2 hours or so. 20 minutes in I started getting the shakes and had trouble flipping the pages on my index and got really dizzy. I kept going and saw my average drop down and sit at 71 til the end. I finished with 10 minutes left.

I had breakfast at 9 AM and nothing to eat since then. Started the test at around 12:30. My glucose level at the end of the exam was 81. Note to self - Eat lunch before going into the exam and bring water and snacks.

I think I can still do it. Little more study and I think I can tack on another 6 or 7 points.

My boss and the IT manager reiterated to me this morning that I need to get the cert by July.

iBrokeIT

BillHoo wrote: »

TechGromit - Congrats on the pass!
Added 200 more entries to my index... Now over 1950 entries.

Holy ****, 2000 entries?!? I went 75 and 77 for my practice tests and my index only had 238 entries. I ended up with an 87% on the exam.

TechGromit

iBrokeIT wrote: »

Holy ****, 2000 entries?!? I went 75 and 77 for my practice tests and my index only had 238 entries. I ended up with an 87% on the exam.

Some have taken the test without indexes and passed with no problem. I guess I'm not as intelligent as them or can't memorize as well. The simple fact is if your offered the benefit of an open book exam, you should take advantage of it. It you end up not needing it great, but if you need it, it's there at help you. These exams are very expensive, it's not worth bragging rights to say I took it without an index.

LionelTeo

I just use sticky tabs on the side of the books and had always been getting by my SANs exam using this method. Find one that suits you best.

TechGromit

LionelTeo,

I see you have nine GIAC Certifications, just curious, why you didn't go for your GSE yet? I just assumed once you obtain five or more GIAC Certifications the natural progression would be to obtain a Certification that automatically renewed all of your others. It just seems to me that the more certifications you have, the more difficult it will be to keep them all current without the benefits of a GSE.

ccnpninja

Congrats!

LionelTeo

7 out of the 9 certification are passed through self study/challenge, most are taken in a short period of 4 years. I do not have official books to prep for my GSE, so I had spent a longer time to prep for the exam. Studying for CISSP also took some time away. By the time I resume to prep for GSE, I am due for renewal and so I choose to take another 3 GIAC exam to earn the CPEs. In addition I feel like writing a white paper as to pen down and claim my reasearch. Renewing the certification also allows me to get a copy of the official SANS book, which im using now to prep for GSE.

JoJoCal19

LionelTeo, did you challenge GPEN? If so, can you list your resources for it?

TechGromit

LionelTeo wrote: »

Renewing the certification also allows me to get a copy of the official SANS book, which im using now to prep for GSE.

As a certification, a GSE is functionally worthless, since so few people possess one, most employers never heard of it. It's real value is the fact it automatically renews all of you other certifications automatically. Not sure if you have to pay the $400 renew fee for each one, but don't have a GSE, your consistently on the re-certification treadmill, and the more GIAC certs you have the faster you have the run (and the more it costs) to keep them all current.

If I obtain five or more GIAC certifications I plan to try can get a GSE as well.

LionelTeo

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

LionelTeo, did you challenge GPEN? If so, can you list your resources for it?

I cant remember as I had taken it 3-4 years back. But base on current curriculum I would go for Hackers Player Book Second Edition, Metasploit The Penetration Tester Book, Advance Penetration Testing for Highly Secured Environment and The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing, Second Edition. To assure you I had read 2 and 1/2 of this books and would say it should highly reflect what you are looking for to take the GPEN exam.

I would always grab a practice test for 129 USD and use those books to take the practice, along the way I would google and print out extra materials, evaluate questions that those books don't cover, but your guarantee going to get marks once you print out those materials (e.g law being one good example). Once confident enough, I would go for the exam.

TechGromit wrote: »

As a certification, a GSE is functionally worthless, since so few people possess one, most employers never heard of it. It's real value is the fact it automatically renews all of you other certifications automatically. Not sure if you have to pay the $400 renew fee for each one, but don't have a GSE, your consistently on the re-certification treadmill, and the more GIAC certs you have the faster you have the run (and the more it costs) to keep them all current.

If I obtain five or more GIAC certifications I plan to try can get a GSE as well.

While employers evaluate candidate, I believe the candidate should evaluate the employer as well in the hiring process. A good hiring manager/director in Cybersecurity field should had some ideas of what these certification means. If they are interested in the candidate they can easily google those certifications the candidate had. Since most of the time the hiring manager/director would be the person to report to after hire, if the hiring manager/director do not even have an idea of what GIAC or GSE is, or even put down the certification, it may be difficult to work for that person.

Similarly to OSCP, a few years back this is a certification that most people 'never heard of it'. While you don't see it listed as a work requirement, a hiring manager/director does factor in some of these certifications in the hiring process.

secmonster

iBrokeIT wrote: »

Just getting around to posting this now, passed the GCIH back on 6-9-16

I took the SEC504 course through work study at SANS Security West in San Diego with Bryce. Followed the usual template of watching the OnDemand videos, make an index, take both practice exams, updated index and PASSED.

Cheers!

On to the next thing in my queue.

Congrats, how was it?

TechGromit

Finally got my GCIH certification plaque, only took 7 weeks. My guess is they wait until they have a good number of orders and do a batch run.

TechGromit

LionelTeo wrote: »

I would always grab a practice test for 129 USD and use those books to take the practice, along the way I would google and print out extra materials, evaluate questions that those books don't cover, but your guarantee going to get marks once you print out those materials

Is it possible to purchase a practice exam without purchasing an exam attempt?