From a free demo to 365 days of updates and a clearly stated refund policy, ActualCollection covers every step of your SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling preparation in one place. Thousands of candidates in 2026 start their SEC504 journey right here.
SANS SEC504 Exam Overview:
| Certification Vendor: | SANS Institute / GIAC |
|---|---|
| Exam Name: | Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling |
| Exam Number: | SEC504 |
| Related Certifications: | GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA) GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA) |
| Certificate Validity Period: | 4 years |
| Exam Format: | Multiple-choice, Scenario-based, True/false |
| Exam Duration: | 240 minutes |
| Available Languages: | Japanese, English |
| Passing Score: | 70% |
| Real Exam Qty: | 106 |
| Exam Price: | $949 USD |
| Recommended Training: | SANS SEC504 Official Training |
| Exam Registration: | GIAC Exam Registration |
| Sample Questions: |  |
| Exam Way: | Online proctored or in-person at authorized testing centers |
| Pre Condition: | No mandatory prerequisites; basic knowledge of TCP/IP, Windows/Linux administration, and security concepts recommended |
| Official Syllabus URL: | https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-courses/hacker-tools-techniques-exploits-and-incident-handling/ |
SANS SEC504 Exam Syllabus Topics:
| Section | Weight | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Topic 1: Defense and Threat Intelligence | 15% | - Defensive tooling and automation - Containment and remediation - Attack detection and monitoring - Threat intelligence and MITRE ATT&CK |
| Topic 2: Web Application and Public-Facing Attacks | 15% | - Drive-by and client-side exploits - XSS, IDOR and forced browsing - SSRF and cloud metadata attacks - Injection attacks (SQL, command) |
| Topic 3: Reconnaissance, Scanning and Enumeration | 18% | - Cloud environment reconnaissance - Network scanning and mapping - Open-source intelligence (OSINT) - SMB, FTP and service enumeration - DNS and WHOIS interrogation |
| Topic 4: Password Attacks and Exploit Frameworks | 17% | - Password spraying and brute force - Password hashing and cracking - Defending against password attacks - Exploit frameworks (Metasploit) |
| Topic 5: Post-Exploitation and Evasion Techniques | 15% | - Covert communication and evasion - Maintaining persistence - Privilege escalation - Network pivoting and lateral movement |
| Topic 6: Incident Response and Cyber Investigations | 20% | - Network and log analysis - Live system examination - Legal and compliance considerations - Incident handling frameworks (DAIR, PICERL) - Memory and malware investigation |
Answers Every SEC504 Candidate Should Read First
The SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling exam is the official SANS Institute / GIAC test registered under exam code SEC504. Passing it earns you the GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) certification, a credential at the Professional level. It is also linked to the related certifications: GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC), GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA). SANS Institute / GIAC exams are valued because they test job-ready skills, so a passing score here carries real weight on a resume.
The SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling exam includes 106 questions to be completed within 240 minutes. Do the pacing math before exam day: with that many items on the clock, you need a steady rhythm and the discipline to flag a hard question and move on instead of stalling. Two or three full timed sessions with the ActualCollection test engine will show you exactly what that pace feels like, so time pressure stops being a factor on the real day.
To pass the SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling exam you need 70%, and the official registration fee is $949 USD. A retake is not discounted: a failed attempt means paying the full $949 USD again, so treat your first sitting as the expensive one. A sensible rule is to book your seat only after you are scoring comfortably above the passing mark on the ActualCollection practice tests, not just squeaking past it once.
No mandatory prerequisites; basic knowledge of TCP/IP, Windows/Linux administration, and security concepts recommended
Eligibility rules do change from time to time, so confirm the current requirements before you register on the official exam page.
Registration for the SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling exam goes through the official channels below.
As for the delivery format, the exam is taken Online proctored or in-person at authorized testing centers.
SANS Institute / GIAC points candidates toward the following training options for SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling.
Course work builds the foundation; question practice makes it stick. The 330 practice questions in the ActualCollection SEC504 package let you rehearse each topic under exam-style pressure before the real thing.
Yes. ActualCollection offers a free PDF demo of the SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling material so you can judge the question quality and format before spending anything. After purchase, your license includes 365 days of free updates, and if you want to keep receiving updates after that period, renewals are available at a 50% discount.
If you take the SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling exam within 60 days of your purchase and do not pass, ActualCollection backs you with a 100% money-back guarantee. The claim must match the exam your product covers: attempts taken within 3 days of purchase are not eligible (that is too little preparation time), and neither are downloaded-but-unused products, free materials, or expired orders. The candidate name must match the payer name, and you need to submit a scanned enrollment slip plus the official Score Report PDF within 2 days of the exam; claims are processed within 7 days. Prefer not to refund? You can swap instead and receive two other exam products of equal value for free while keeping the update service on your original purchase.
Delivery itself is instant: your files are downloadable right away and emailed to you within one minute of payment. If nothing arrives within 2 hours, contact customer service. There is no limit on how many computers you may install the software on.
The official SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling syllabus is organized into 6 domains. Key areas include Web Application and Public-Facing Attacks (15%), Defense and Threat Intelligence (15%), and Post-Exploitation and Evasion Techniques (15%). The complete, up-to-date topic list appears in the exam topics section above; work through it line by line and flag anything you cannot yet explain in your own words.
SANS Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling Sample Questions:
Question 1
Buffer overflows are one of the major errors used for exploitation on the Internet today. A buffer overflow occurs when a particular operation/function writes more data into a variable than the variable was designed to hold.
Which of the following are the two popular types of buffer overflows?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose two.
A. Dynamic buffer overflows
B. Heap based buffer overflow
C. Static buffer overflows
D. Stack based buffer overflow
Question 2
Which of the following IP packet elements is responsible for authentication while using IPSec?
A. Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP)
B. Authentication Header (AH)
C. Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)
D. Internet Key Exchange (IKE)
Question 3
Which of the following US Acts emphasized a "risk-based policy for cost-effective security" and makes mandatory for agency program officials, chief information officers, and inspectors general (IGs) to conduct annual reviews of the agency's information security program and report the results to Office of Management and Budget?
A. Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA)
B. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
C. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
D. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA)
Question 4
John is a malicious attacker. He illegally accesses the server of We-are-secure Inc. He then places a backdoor in the We-are-secure server and alters its log files. Which of the following steps of malicious hacking includes altering the server log files?
A. Maintaining access
B. Gaining access
C. Covering tracks
D. Reconnaissance
Question 5
Which of the following statements about buffer overflow are true?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose two.
A. It can terminate an application.
B. It is a situation that occurs when an application receives more data than it is configured to accept.
C. It is a situation that occurs when a storage device runs out of space.
D. It can improve application performance.
Solutions:
| Question 1 Answer: B,D | Question 2 Answer: B | Question 3 Answer: A | Question 4 Answer: C | Question 5 Answer: A,B |
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