GSNA certification: status, objectives and renewal
The GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA) certification is currently in abeyance: GIAC states that it is no longer available for purchase, so you cannot register for the exam today. Existing GSNA holders can renew by CPEs only. GIAC still lists the nine objectives the certification covered, from the audit process and risk assessment to auditing Windows, UNIX and Linux systems, networks and web applications.
- Certification
- GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA), issued by GIACGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Status
- In abeyance — no longer available for purchaseGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Exam cost
- Not available: GIAC does not sell GSNA attempts at presentGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Questions, time limit, passing score
- Not published on the GSNA page by GIACGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Objectives
- Nine, covering the audit process, risk assessment, systems, network and web application auditingGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Affiliated training
- Not listed on the GSNA page by GIACGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Renewal
- By CPEs only, for existing holdersGIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026
- Renewal cycle
- Every four years for GIAC certificationsGIAC Renewal knowledge base, checked 14 October 2026
- Renewal fee
- $499 for most GIAC certifications; $249 within 2 years of a full-price renewalGIAC pricing page, checked 14 October 2026
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Why you can trust these GSNA questions
What is the GSNA certification?
GSNA stands for GIAC Systems and Network Auditor. GIAC describes it as validating a practitioner’s ability to apply basic risk analysis techniques and to conduct technical audits of essential information systems. Holders have shown knowledge of network, perimeter and application auditing, as well as risk assessment and reporting.
Unlike a governance-only audit credential, the GSNA is technical. Its objectives go down to the commands and tools used to check processes, access controls and configurations on Windows, UNIX and Linux systems, and to reading the logs those systems produce.
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
GSNA status: in abeyance and no longer available for purchase
The most important fact about the GSNA today is its status. GIAC’s certification page states that GSNA is currently in abeyance and no longer available for purchase. That means you cannot buy a GSNA attempt or register for the exam at the moment.
GIAC does not define on the GSNA page how long the abeyance lasts, whether the certification will return, or whether a successor is planned. It refers readers to its FAQ for more on abeyance. Until GIAC says otherwise, treat the GSNA as a credential you can keep, not one you can newly earn.
If you were planning to sit the GSNA, check the GIAC page again before you spend money on preparation tied specifically to this exam.
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
How much does the GSNA certification cost?
There is currently no GSNA exam price to pay, because GIAC does not sell GSNA attempts while the certification is in abeyance. Any price you see quoted for a GSNA attempt is not something you can buy from GIAC today.
For existing holders the relevant cost is renewal. GIAC’s pricing page lists a renewal fee of $499 for most certifications, reduced to $249 if you renew within 2 years of paying for a full-price renewal. Prices are in US dollars and exclude applicable sales tax.
Source: GIAC — Certification pricing and fees. Checked 14 October 2026.
GSNA exam format and passing score
GIAC’s GSNA page does not list the number of questions, the time limit, the minimum passing score or the delivery options for the exam. Because the certification cannot be purchased, there is no current exam booking page to check them against either.
Figures you find elsewhere for the GSNA exam format are therefore not confirmed by GIAC’s current page, and they would only matter if GIAC makes the exam available again.
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
What does the GSNA certification cover?
GIAC still publishes the GSNA’s nine exam objectives. Together they describe a full technical audit: understand the audit process and risk assessment, then audit the network, the operating systems and the web applications, and finally use logging and continuous monitoring to keep compliance current between audits.
- The Audit Process — audit terms and concepts, baselines, time-based security, and how risk assessments identify and specify controls
- Risk Assessment for Auditors — audit risk terms and how to perform an audit risk assessment
- Auditing the Enterprise Network — network terms, concepts and processes, including cloud, containers and physical networks
- Auditing Windows Systems and Domains — techniques, tools and commands to check processes, access controls and configurations
- Auditing UNIX and Linux Systems — techniques, tools and commands to check processes, access controls and configurations
- Auditing Web Applications
- Auditing Access Control and Data Handling in Web Applications
- Windows Logging and Continuous Monitoring — gathering and interpreting Windows logs for ongoing audit compliance
- UNIX and Linux Logging and Continuous Monitoring — gathering and interpreting UNIX and Linux logs for ongoing audit compliance
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
Who the GSNA is for
GIAC names auditors, managers overseeing an audit or security team, security professionals, system administrators, network administrators, and anyone who wants to implement effective continuous monitoring processes.
That mix reflects the certification’s position between two worlds: auditors who need to verify technical controls themselves rather than rely on screenshots, and administrators who need to understand what an auditor will check and why.
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
How to renew a GSNA certification
If you already hold the GSNA, it does not disappear because of the abeyance. GIAC states that GSNA certifications can be renewed by CPEs only, which means you cannot renew by retaking the exam.
GIAC certifications require renewal every four years. GIAC’s renewal page also notes that certifications in abeyance do not have affiliated courseware included with renewal, so a GSNA renewal does not come with a course the way some other GIAC renewals do.
Track your CPEs over the full cycle and renew before expiry. If a GSNA lapses, there is currently no exam you can take to earn it back.
Source: GIAC — Renewal. Checked 14 October 2026.
GSNA training
GIAC’s GSNA page does not list an affiliated SANS training course, and its renewal page states that certifications in abeyance have no affiliated courseware included with renewal. There is no official GSNA training path to follow at the moment.
The nine objectives remain a useful outline for technical audit skills in their own right: auditing Windows domains and UNIX or Linux hosts from the command line, reviewing access control in web applications, and building log-based continuous monitoring. Those skills carry over to any technical audit role, whether or not GIAC offers the GSNA again.
Source: GIAC — GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA). Checked 14 October 2026.
GSNA practice questions
Certsqill’s GSNA practice questions are expert-developed and organised by the nine objectives GIAC publishes for the certification. Every answer option comes with an explanation, and your readiness score is shown per objective, which makes them a structured check of technical audit knowledge — for holders keeping their skills current and for anyone following the GSNA outline.
They do not change the status above: while GIAC keeps the GSNA in abeyance, there is no GSNA exam to book. Access comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
GSNA questions people ask
Is the GSNA certification still available?
No. GIAC states that GSNA is currently in abeyance and no longer available for purchase. Checked 14 October 2026.
Can I still take the GSNA exam?
Not at present. GIAC does not sell GSNA attempts while the certification is in abeyance. Source: GIAC GSNA page, checked 14 October 2026.
What does abeyance mean for the GSNA?
GIAC states only that GSNA is in abeyance and no longer available for purchase, and that it can be renewed by CPEs only. It does not say whether the GSNA will be offered again. Checked 14 October 2026.
How much does the GSNA certification cost?
There is no GSNA exam price to pay today. Existing holders pay the GIAC renewal fee, $499 for most certifications. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
How do I renew my GSNA?
By CPEs only; retaking the exam is not an option. GIAC certifications renew every four years. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
What does the GSNA cover?
Nine objectives: the audit process, risk assessment, auditing networks, Windows and UNIX/Linux systems and web applications, plus logging and continuous monitoring. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
Is there official GSNA training?
GIAC’s GSNA page lists no affiliated SANS course, and certifications in abeyance have no courseware included with renewal. Checked 14 October 2026.
How many questions are on the GSNA exam?
GIAC’s GSNA page does not publish the number of questions, the time limit or the passing score. Checked 14 October 2026.
Who is the GSNA for?
Auditors, audit and security team managers, security professionals, system and network administrators, and anyone implementing continuous monitoring. Source: GIAC, checked 14 October 2026.
