GOAA (GIAC Offensive AI Analyst)
GOAA covers how attackers apply AI, studied for authorized testing: AI-assisted OSINT, vulnerability discovery and web exploitation, AI-generated phishing and deepfakes, bypass of guardrails and defensive controls, and the legal and ethical limits that apply. GIAC lists SOC and incident response analysts, red teamers, penetration testers, security consultants and security managers among its audience.
Exam Details
Web-based exam that includes CyberLive hands-on questions in virtual machines, proctored remotely through ProctorU or onsite at a Pearson VUE test center.
Price of one certification attempt, which must be completed within 120 days of activation. A retake costs $899, a 45-day extension $479 and a practice test $399.
Requirements and Renewal
Prerequisites
None. GIAC sets no prerequisites for any certification attempt but recommends a training course before the exam.
Renewal
Earn 36 CPEs over the four-year cycle or pass the renewal exam, and pay the $499 maintenance fee. Additional GIAC renewals registered within two years of a full-price renewal cost $249 each.
Exam Domains
10 domains| Domain |
|---|
| Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals |
| Audio, Image, and Video Deepfakes |
| Bypassing Defensive Controls |
| Creating Malicious Software with AI |
| Creating Phishing Emails with AI |
| Malware Fundamentals |
| Network Scanning and Vulnerability Detection |
| Social Engineering Fundamentals |
| Using AI for OSINT |
| Using AI for Web Exploitation |
Certification Lists
Related Tool Categories
Red-teaming suites, prompt injection scanners, LLM guardrails, and model evaluation utilities.
Reconnaissance frameworks, attack-surface discovery engines, and public-data enrichment platforms.
Phishing campaign platforms, security awareness testing tools, and credential harvesting simulators.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the GOAA exam cost?→
One GOAA certification attempt costs $999 and includes 120 days to sit the exam. Retakes are $899.
How long is the GOAA exam?→
GOAA has 56 questions and a 2-hour limit. A score of 67% is required for exam versions released on or after January 24, 2026.
Which SANS course aligns with GOAA?→
The matching SANS course is SEC535: Offensive AI - Attack Tools and Techniques, which is built around the GOAA exam objectives.
Sources
Exam details are checked against official GIAC pages. Fees, exam versions, and renewal rules change; confirm with GIAC before registering. GOAA is a trademark of its owner. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by GIAC.