After completing CSSLP, I wanted to take a step beyond technical depth and build leadership skills — GSLC was a natural choice, and here I am after successfully clearing the GIAC Security Leadership (GSLC) certification.
GSLC is not just another cybersecurity certification. It is a leadership-focused credential designed to validate a security professional’s ability to make decisions, manage risk, lead incident response, and align cybersecurity with business objectives.
What makes this achievement especially meaningful for me is that I prepared for it through tight timelines, carefully curating resources, real-world experience, and selective guidance at the right time.
After receiving several questions from my LinkedIn network, I decided to document my study strategy, preparation approach, and exam experience to help others considering this path.
Understanding GSLC: Who Is This Certification For?
Before diving into preparation, it’s important to understand what GSLC actually represents.
The GIAC Security Leadership Certification (GSLC) is designed for professionals who are:
- Transitioning from hands-on technical roles to leadership
- Responsible for security governance, policy, and risk decisions
- Leading or supporting incident response and crisis management
- Acting as a bridge between technical teams and business leadership
GSLC is ideal for:
- Senior security engineers and architects
- Security managers and team leads
- GRC professionals
- Aspiring CISOs or security leaders
Unlike purely technical certifications, GSLC focuses on judgment, prioritization, communication, and leadership under pressure.
Decoding the GSLC Exam Blueprint
My first step was thoroughly reviewing the official GSLC exam objectives on the GIAC website. This step is critical — GSLC is broad, and clarity prevents wasted effort.
The exam focuses on the following major domains:
- Security governance and leadership
- Risk management and decision-making
- Security policies, standards, and frameworks
- Incident response leadership and crisis handling
- Legal, regulatory, and compliance considerations
- Business continuity and disaster recovery
- Security metrics and program effectiveness
Understanding these domains early helped me map resources to objectives instead of studying blindly.
Study Materials That Helped Me the Most
🔹 SANS Official content and the books and on-demand training
🔹 SANS & GIAC Leadership Talks (YouTube)
Official SANS YouTube content around:
- Incident leadership
- Executive communication during breaches
- Risk-based decision making
These were extremely useful to understand how leaders think during crises.
🔹 NIST Frameworks & Publications
These documents are foundational for GSLC and should be understood conceptually (not memorized):
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
- NIST SP 800-53 – Security controls
- NIST SP 800-61 – Incident response
- NIST SP 800-30 – Risk assessment
The exam often tests your ability to apply these frameworks in leadership scenarios, not just recognize them.
While I was preparing for the exam, I came across an useful video which guided me a lot.
Real-World Experience & Reflection
GSLC heavily rewards professionals who have:
- Participated in incidents
- Written or enforced policies
- Made trade-offs between security and business needs
I frequently paused while studying to reflect:
“What would I do as a security leader in this situation?”
This mindset shift is crucial for GSLC.
Preparing for the CyberLive / Scenario-Based Questions
While GSLC is not a deeply technical lab exam, it includes scenario-driven and decision-based questions that simulate real leadership challenges.
Focus areas:
- Prioritizing actions during incidents
- Communicating with executives and stakeholders
- Balancing risk vs business impact
- Choosing “best” options rather than “technically perfect” ones
This is where experience beats memorization.
Indexing & Open-Book Strategy
GSLC is an open-book exam, but time management is everything.
I created structured indexes for:
- NIST frameworks
- Incident response phases
- Governance and compliance references
- Key leadership principles
I followed Lesley Carhart’s proven GIAC indexing methodology, which significantly reduced lookup time during the exam:
👉 https://tisiphone.net/2015/08/18/giac-testing
A good index can easily be the difference between passing and failing.
Practice Test & Exam Day Experience
One mistake I made — and one I strongly recommend others avoid — was deprioritizing the practice sets due to work commitments. In hindsight, this could have easily worked against me. While I managed to navigate the exam, it’s not something to take lightly. The SANS practice sets are extremely valuable and provide excellent, exam-ready preparation. Make sure to complete them, especially in the final phase before the exam.
After a few days of focused review, I scheduled the actual exam at a test center.
Arriving early helped reduce stress, and three hours later, I walked out knowing I had given it my best.
Exam-Day GSLC Mindset
When unsure, ask yourself:
- What minimizes business risk?
- What would I explain to the CEO or Board?
- What decision shows leadership maturity?
GSLC is passed with judgment, not memorization.
Seeing the “Pass” result was an incredibly rewarding moment — not just because of the certification, but because of what it represented: growth into a leadership mindset.
Reflecting on the Journey
GSLC is not about tools.
It’s not about exploits.
It’s not about memorizing frameworks.
It is all about thinking like a security leader.
This certification sharpened my ability to:
- Communicate risk effectively
- Make decisions under uncertainty
- Align security with organizational goals
- Lead rather than react
For anyone aiming to step into security leadership, architecture, or management roles, GSLC is a powerful and meaningful milestone.
Final Thoughts
I’d like to thank the SANS Institute and GIAC for designing a certification that genuinely tests leadership, not just knowledge.
I hope this journey helps others preparing for GSLC and encourages professionals to think beyond tools — toward strategy, responsibility, and leadership.
If you’re on this path: invest the time, build the mindset, and trust the process.
