GIAC GCIA Full-Length Practice Test
GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst tests how well you read network traffic and recognize intrusions. The certification exam has 106 questions, four hours and a 67% passing standard. Choose from ten full-length practice tests covering packet analysis, IDS concepts and network forensics.
- 106-question GCIA exam
- 4-hour exam limit
- 67% to pass
- 15 published objectives
- 10 practice tests available
Choose the amount of practice you need
Buy one test for a focused check, five for a longer run, or all ten for your complete preparation schedule. Choose the pack that fits your plan.
One test
One full-length practice test
Begin with Practice Test 1
- Choose any one of the numbered tests
- Start with a GCIA knowledge check
- Work through a test at your own pace
All 10 tests
GIAC GCIA full-length practice test pack of 10
Ten individual practice tests in one pack
- All ten numbered GCIA tests
- Work through the complete test collection
- Return to weak topics between attempts
Five tests
GIAC GCIA full-length practice test pack of 5
Five full-length practice tests
- Five GCIA practice tests in one pack
- More room to revisit difficult topics
- A smaller collection for focused preparation
Choose the single test, five-test pack or complete ten-test pack above.
What GIAC sets on the GCIA exam
GCIA measures packet-level reasoning, intrusion detection and the ability to interpret evidence from network activity.
| Certification | GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA) |
| Exam questions | 106 |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing standard | 67% |
| Exam delivery | One proctored exam |
| Objective areas | 15 published topics |
| Certification validity | 4 years |
| Certification attempt price | US $999 |
Know what the packets actually show
GCIA requires more than recognizing a familiar port. You need to read normal and abnormal TCP behavior, understand fragmentation, and trace activity through packet captures, flow records and logs.
Its objectives cover IDS architecture and rules, application protocols, IP headers, IPv6, and tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark and SiLK. Snort and Zeek are among GIAC's named focus areas.
GIAC also presents CyberLive hands-on skills on its GCIA certification page. Use practical labs alongside question practice to build confidence with the tools.
How to get more from a GCIA practice test
Give the packet details your full attention. Then use each result to decide what to revisit before the next test.
Start with a baseline
- Choose a numbered GCIA practice test
- Keep notes on uncertain protocol behavior
- Look for repeated mistakes in TCP/IP analysis
- Identify topics to study before the next test
Work to exam pace
- The certification exam has 106 questions
- Its official time limit is four hours
- Practice reading packet evidence carefully
- Keep track of how long each decision takes
Go back to the evidence
- Revisit weak areas in the published objectives
- Inspect relevant captures in Wireshark
- Test packet filters directly with tcpdump
- Move to another practice test when ready
An illustrative tcpdump filter question
The detail that matters is whether an expression matches the first SYN only, or also matches the server's SYN-ACK.
An analyst wants a tcpdump filter that matches TCP packets with SYN set and ACK clear. Which expression does that?
- A
tcp[tcpflags] & tcp-syn != 0 - B
tcp[tcpflags] & (tcp-syn|tcp-ack) == tcp-syn - C
tcp[tcpflags] & tcp-ack != 0 - D
tcp[tcpflags] & (tcp-syn|tcp-ack) == (tcp-syn|tcp-ack)
Why B
The filter masks SYN and ACK together. Comparing the result with tcp-syn selects packets with SYN set and ACK clear.
Why A is tempting
Choice A checks only that SYN is set. It includes SYN-ACK packets, which the question excludes. Choice C matches ACK traffic; D requires SYN and ACK to be set together.
All 15 published objective areas
GIAC publishes topic names and expected skills for GCIA. Use the official objectives as a checklist during preparation.
| Objective | Core skill |
|---|---|
| Advanced IDS Concepts | Tuning methods and correlation |
| Application Protocols | Application-layer dissection |
| Concepts of TCP/IP and the Link Layer | Communication and link-layer operations |
| Fragmentation | Reassembly and fragmentation attacks |
| IDS Fundamentals and Network Architecture | IDS design and placement |
| Intrusion Detection System Rules | Writing effective detection rules |
| IP Headers | Header anomalies and analysis |
| IPv6 | IPv6 behavior and IPv4 differences |
| Network Forensics and Traffic Analysis | Packet captures, network flows and logs |
| Packet Engineering | Packet crafting and manipulation |
| SiLK and Other Traffic Analysis Tools | Traffic and flow analysis |
| TCP | Normal and anomalous TCP behavior |
| Tcpdump Filters | Packet-matching expressions |
| UDP and ICMP | Protocol behavior and anomalies |
| Wireshark Fundamentals | Network traffic inspection |
All 10 GIAC GCIA full-length practice tests
Every test has its own page. Choose an individual test below, or use the pack options above.
About the GCIA exam and these practice tests
The GCIA exam
How many questions are on the GIAC GCIA exam?
The GCIA certification exam has 106 questions and a four-hour time limit.
What is the passing score for GCIA?
The minimum passing score is 67% for the GCIA exam version released on or after January 21, 2023.
What subjects does the GCIA exam cover?
The published objectives cover network traffic and protocol analysis, IDS concepts and rules, packet forensics, and tools including Snort, Zeek, tcpdump, Wireshark and SiLK.
How long is GCIA certification valid?
GIAC certifications remain valid for four years. Candidates renew through qualifying professional education or the available exam renewal route.
How much does a GCIA certification attempt cost?
GIAC lists the GCIA certification attempt at US $999.
These practice tests
How many GCIA practice tests can I choose from?
There are ten numbered full-length practice tests. You can purchase one test, a pack of five, or all ten.
Can I buy a single GCIA practice test?
Yes. Each numbered test has its own page at $3.49₹139£2.79€3.19.
What is included in the ten-test pack?
The pack covers all ten GCIA full-length practice tests linked above.
How much does the ten-test pack cost?
The pack of ten is $12.99₹599£9.99€11.99.
Which currency appears on the page?
Prices display in rupees for India, pounds for the United Kingdom, euros for euro-zone countries, and US dollars elsewhere.
Ten full-length GCIA practice tests.
$12.99₹599£9.99€11.99
Start with the first test, revisit the protocol and detection concepts that need work, then continue through the collection.
