GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)
Demonstrate readiness to protect systems and networks using crucial knowledge of exploits and advanced penetration testing skills.
The GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN) certification validates a practitioner's ability to pinpoint and mitigate significant security flaws in systems and networks. GXPN certification holders are qualified to conduct advanced penetration tests that improve system security by modeling the behavior of attackers, leveraging expert knowledge to demonstrate and mitigate the business risk posed by these threats.
Areas Covered
- Network-based attacks; Cryptography-based attacks
- Escalation and client-side attacks
- Handling restricted environments
- Fuzzing, and source code analysis
- Shellcode and memory basics
- Defeating advanced stack protections on Windows and Linux; Windows and Linux stack overflows
Who is GXPN for?
- Network penetration testers
- Systems penetration testers
- Incident handlers
- Application developers
- IDS engineers
- Security personnel responsible for assessing target networks, systems, and applications to find vulnerabilities
CyberLive: Real labs. Real tools. Real skills.
CyberLive is a hands-on exam format that replaces traditional multiple-choice testing with performance-based challenges in realistic lab environments to validate real-world capability.
Virtual Machines:
Full-scale lab systems that behave like physical computers: install, attack, defend, and run services.
Real Security Tools:
Exact tools used by professionals every day including all the quirks and challenges
Authentic Code:
Real code, real exploits, real impacts
Exam Format
- 1 proctored exam
- 60 questions
- 3 hours
- Minimum passing score of 67%
Note: GIAC periodically reviews and may update certification specifications to ensure fairness, validity, and reliability. Using a psychometric standard-setting study, GIAC has set the passing score for the GXPN exam at 67% for all candidates who receive the exam version released on or after [DATE].
To confirm the exam format and passing score that apply to your specific attempt, please refer to the Certification Information section of your GIAC account: https://exams.giac.org/pages/attempts.
Certification Delivery
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.
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.
Exam Certification Objectives & Outcome Statements
- Bypassing Linux Exploit MitigationsThe candidate will be able to identify Linux stack protections and recognize how to bypass them.
- Bypassing Windows Memory ProtectionsThe candidate will be able to identify Windows stack protections and describe how to bypass them.
- Endpoint Control Evasions and EscalationThe candidate will be able to apply an array of techniques to bypass and break out of common endpoint protections and restrictions.
- Establishing Network AccessThe candidate will demonstrate knowledge in enumeration and bypass of common network access controls used to obtain initial connectivity.
- Infrastructure Manipulation and ExploitationThe candidate will demonstrate an understanding of how routing and traffic control can be influenced to exploit networks.
- Linux Execution, Memory, and Shellcode FoundationsThe candidate will be able to describe Linux memory organization and management fundamentals, low-level Linux binary execution, and how to leverage this information with shell code.
- Network Interception and Traffic ManipulationThe candidate will be able to describe the process of intercepting, observing, and altering traffic flows.
- Practical CryptographyThe candidate will be able to identify issues in cryptographic implementations and different ways to exploit those implementations.
- Practical Scripting for Offensive OperationsThe candidate will be able to create new, and adapt existing, small objective-focused, scripts.
- Product Security Testing and Fuzzing FoundationsThe candidate will be able to build fuzzing grammars and know when and how to use them.
- Return Oriented Stack-Based ExploitsThe candidate will be able to create simple return-oriented chains to achieve execution.
- Source Code Based Fuzzing TechniquesThe candidate will be able to demonstrate the use of available source code to improve fuzzing efficiency and ensure greater code coverage.
- Windows Execution and Memory FoundationsThe candidate will be able to describe the low-level Windows execution process as well as run-time and execution-time protections.
- Windows Overflows and Execution ControlThe candidate will be able to demonstrate how execution control can be gained by leveraging internal Windows mechanisms, such as structured exception handling.
Practice Tests
- Practice exams are a simulation of the real exam, allowing you to become familiar with the test engine and style of questions
- Practice exams can serve as a gauge to determine if your preparation methods are sufficient
- The bank of practice questions is limited, so you may encounter the same question on multiple practice tests
- Practice exams never include actual exam questions
- Purchase a GXPN practice test here
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 other programs or materials may meet the needs for mastery
- Understand the procedure to contest exam results