GIAC GOSI certification: exam, cost and passing score
GOSI, the GIAC Open Source Intelligence certification, validates a strong foundation in OSINT methodologies and frameworks. The exam is one proctored, open-book test of 75 questions in 2 hours with a minimum passing score of 69%. A stand-alone certification attempt costs US$999 at GIAC, a retake US$899, and you renew every four years with 36 credits.
- Certification
- GIAC Open Source Intelligence (GOSI), issued by GIACGIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026
- Status
- Active; not listed as In AbeyanceGIAC Pricing, checked 14 October 2026
- Cost
- US$999 certification attempt; US$899 retakeGIAC Pricing, checked 14 October 2026
- Questions
- 75GIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026
- Duration
- 2 hoursGIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026
- Passing score
- 69% minimumGIAC GOSI page (exam versions from 17 June 2023), checked 14 October 2026
- Format
- Web-based, proctored, open book (printed notes allowed; no internet)GIAC GOSI page and Proctor Program Overview, checked 14 October 2026
- Delivery
- Remote via ProctorU or onsite at Pearson VUEGIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- None listed by GIACGIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026
- Renewal
- Every four years: 36 credits; renewal fee US$499GIAC Renewal and Pricing, checked 14 October 2026
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Why you can trust these GOSI questions
What is the GIAC GOSI certification?
GOSI stands for GIAC Open Source Intelligence. GIAC describes it as validating a practitioner’s strong foundation in OSINT methodologies and frameworks: finding, collecting, analysing and reporting on information that is publicly available, about organisations, people and network infrastructure, while protecting your own investigation.
It is a practitioner credential rather than an entry-level one, but GIAC lists no formal prerequisites. The GIAC GOSI certification is active: it does not appear among the certifications GIAC lists as In Abeyance, and its certification page carries no retirement notice.
Source: GIAC — GOSI certification. Checked 14 October 2026.
How much does the GOSI certification cost?
GIAC’s price list puts a stand-alone GOSI certification attempt at US$999. A retake costs US$899, an extension of the attempt window US$479, and an official GIAC practice exam US$399.
Two smaller fees are worth knowing in advance. A missed proctored appointment costs a US$175 reseating fee and comes with a seven-day extension of your deadline. Renewal is US$499, and further renewals within two years of a full-price renewal cost US$249.
Once activated, a stand-alone attempt gives you 120 days to sit the exam, so book your date before the window runs short.
Source: GIAC — Pricing. Checked 14 October 2026.
What is the GOSI exam format?
GOSI is a single proctored exam of 75 questions with a 2-hour time limit. All GIAC exams are web-based and proctored, either remotely through ProctorU or onsite at a Pearson VUE test centre.
GIAC exams are open book: you may bring printed books and handwritten or printed notes, including an index. They are not open internet or open computer, and GIAC bans paper material that looks like practice test or exam questions. Two hours for 75 questions leaves little time per item, so a well-built index matters more than a large stack of paper.
Source: GIAC — Proctor Program Overview. Checked 14 October 2026.
GOSI passing score
The minimum passing score is 69%. GIAC states that this applies to GOSI exam versions released on or after 17 June 2023, and that it periodically reviews and may update certification specifications, so confirm the current figure in your GIAC account before you sit the exam.
Source: GIAC — GOSI certification. Checked 14 October 2026.
What is on the GOSI exam?
GIAC publishes six exam certification objectives for GOSI. It does not publish a weighting, so treat all six as examinable:
- Investigating Businesses — collecting, analysing and reporting on an organisation using public and breach data
- Investigating People — personally identifiable information from public data and social media
- Network Data and Infrastructure Analysis — domains, IP addresses, certificates and networks
- OSINT Methodology — goals and applications of OSINT and fact-based, well-documented investigations
- Privacy and Operational Security Fundamentals — confidentiality and integrity risks and OPSEC practice
- Searching, Collecting, and Processing Data — search engines and simple automation for data and metadata
Source: GIAC — GOSI certification. Checked 14 October 2026.
GOSI training: SANS SEC497
The course aligned with GOSI is SEC497: Practical Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) from the SANS Institute, GIAC’s official training partner. SANS calls it the course built to prepare you for GOSI. It runs six days instructor-led or 36 hours self-paced, includes 29 hands-on labs, and requires only basic computer knowledge.
SANS lists SEC497 OnDemand at US$8,780, with four months of access; live class prices vary by location and exclude local taxes. The course is not mandatory: GIAC sells the certification attempt on its own.
Source: SANS Institute — SEC497: Practical Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT). Checked 14 October 2026.
How do you renew GOSI?
GIAC certifications run on a four-year cycle: you collect 36 credits over four years to keep the certification active, and pay the renewal fee, currently US$499. SANS states that the 36 CPEs from SEC497 can be applied toward renewal.
Source: GIAC — Renewal. Checked 14 October 2026.
GOSI vs GCTI
GOSI and GCTI (GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence) are often considered together because both deal with intelligence. GOSI is about the collection craft: searching, collecting and processing open sources, investigating people and businesses, and doing so without exposing yourself. GCTI is about the analysis and use of threat intelligence once it exists — its objectives include campaigns and attribution, the Kill Chain and Diamond Model, and sharing intelligence.
If your day-to-day work is investigations, due diligence or reconnaissance, GOSI matches the objectives more closely. If it is turning intelligence into defensive decisions in a security team, GCTI is the closer fit.
Source: GIAC — GOSI certification. Checked 14 October 2026.
GOSI practice questions
Certsqill’s GOSI practice questions are expert-developed around GIAC’s six objectives. Each question comes with an explanation for every answer option, and your readiness score is shown per domain, so you can see whether investigating people, infrastructure analysis or OPSEC is the weak spot before you spend a US$999 attempt. Certsqill offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Avoid exam dumps. GIAC’s Exam Integrity Policy names any use of or reference to exam dump sites with actual or possible GIAC questions as a violation, with sanctions up to revocation of previously issued GIAC certifications and bans from future GIAC certifications. Material that looks like exam questions is also not allowed in the exam room.
Source: GIAC — Exam Integrity Policy. Checked 14 October 2026.
GOSI questions people ask
What is the GIAC GOSI certification?
GIAC Open Source Intelligence, which validates a strong foundation in OSINT methodologies and frameworks. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
How much does the GOSI exam cost?
US$999 for a stand-alone certification attempt and US$899 for a retake. Source: GIAC Pricing, checked 14 October 2026.
How many questions are on the GOSI exam?
75 questions with a 2-hour time limit. Source: GIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026.
What is the GOSI passing score?
69% for exam versions released on or after 17 June 2023. Source: GIAC GOSI page, checked 14 October 2026.
Is the GOSI exam open book?
Yes. GIAC exams allow printed books and notes, but not internet or computer access. Source: GIAC Proctor Program Overview, checked 14 October 2026.
Can I take GOSI online?
Yes, with remote proctoring through ProctorU, or onsite at a Pearson VUE test centre. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
Which course prepares for GOSI?
SANS SEC497: Practical Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), six days live or 36 hours self-paced. It is not mandatory. Checked 14 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites for GOSI?
GIAC lists none. SANS requires only basic computer knowledge for SEC497. Checked 14 October 2026.
How long is GOSI valid?
Four years. Renew with 36 credits and the renewal fee, currently US$499. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
How long do I have to take the exam after activation?
A stand-alone attempt is valid for 120 days from activation. Source: GIAC Certification Attempt Delivery Policy, checked 14 October 2026.
