GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT)

GIAC

Validates a practitioner's knowledge of essential foundational cybersecurity concepts across computers, technology, and security, including core knowledge of hardware, operating systems, networking, and programming.

We have a course for this

Built from this exam's published objectives. The first module is free.

GIAC GFACT

Basic · 12 hrs

What this qualifies you for

Listed specifically for 5 work roles — up to Advanced proficiency. Because options cascade downward, a cert listed at Advanced also satisfies Intermediate and Basic for that role.

411Technical Support SpecialistProvides technical support to customers who need assistance utilizing client level hardware and software in accordance with established or approved organizational process components. (i.e., Master Incident Management Plan, when applicable).Intermediate 441Network Operations (NETOPS) SpecialistPlans, implements, and operates network services/systems, to include hardware and virtual environments.Advanced 451System Administrator (SYSADMIN)Installs, configures, troubleshoots, and maintains hardware, software, and administers system accounts.Advanced 511Cyber Defense AnalystUses data collected from a variety of cyber defense tools (e.g., IDS alerts, firewalls, network traffic logs.) to analyze events that occur within their environments for the purposes of mitigating threats.Basic 521Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support SpecialistTests, implements, deploys, maintains, and administers the infrastructure hardware and software.Basic

Also listed for 14 Cyberspace Enablers roles — but so is every other certification

The Enablers matrix isn’t role-differentiated: the same certification options are listed for all 14 roles at every proficiency level. We verified that across all 14. So this is true, and it carries no information about this credential specifically — which is why it isn’t in the count above.

211 Forensics Analyst 221 Cyber Crime Investigator 711 Cyber Instructional Curriculum Developer 712 Cyber Instructor 731 Cyber Legal Advisor 732 Privacy Compliance Manager 751 Cyber Workforce Developer and Manager 752 Cyber Policy and Strategy Planner 801 Program Manager 802 IT Project Manager 803 Product Support Manager 804 IT Investment/Portfolio Manager 805 IT Program Auditor 901 Executive Cyber Leader

Renewal

4year cycle36CPE per cycle

Certification renewal, USD 499

This is the issuer’s clock. 8140 runs a second one — 20 hours of CPD a year, at every proficiency level, which applies even if you hold no certification at all. How that works

GIAC publishes objective areas without percentage weights; all domain weights are 0 by design. GFACT is not a CyberLive certification; it is not on GIAC's CyberLive hands-on list.

Source: GIAC - GFACT certification page · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17

Verifying it

GIAC publishes a lookup a third party can use without your involvement.

Name or GIAC number

Issuer lookup Track this credential

GIAC publishes objective areas without percentage weights; all domain weights are 0 by design. GFACT is not a CyberLive certification; it is not on GIAC's CyberLive hands-on list.

Source: GIAC - GFACT certification page · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17

Exam blueprint

Verified against GIAC’s published outline.

GFACT

Current

75 questions · 2 hours · passing score 71%

Computer Hardware & Virtualization

Exploitation & Mitigation

Forensics & Post-Exploitation

Linux Foundations

Logic & Programming

Networking & Servers

Operating Systems, The Web, & Data Storage

Security Concepts

Windows Foundations

GIAC publishes objective areas without percentage weightings, so none are shown.

GIAC publishes objective areas without percentage weights; all domain weights are 0 by design. GFACT is not a CyberLive certification; it is not on GIAC's CyberLive hands-on list.

Source: GIAC - GFACT certification page · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17