The GIAC Python Coder (GPYC) certification validates skills in using Python for security purposes. Mastering Python programming for security tasks is becoming increasingly important for infosec professionals.

The constantly evolving threat landscape requires the ability to quickly develop custom security tools and automate processes. Gaining the GPYC certification demonstrates hands-on Python proficiency for security goals.

Overview

Security professionals are increasingly required to automate tasks, develop custom tools, and analyze data. Python is a powerful programming language that is well-suited for these tasks.

The GIAC Python Coder (GPYC) certification is an authoritative credential recognized globally for demonstrating proficiency in Python programming for security purposes. Passing this exam validates possessing the knowledge and skills to effectively wield Python for tasks like security automation, tool development, data analysis, and more.

The exam covers a wide range of topic areas related to analyzing Python code, with a focus on security applications. Mastering these Python coding skills enables efficiently developing custom security tools, automating processes, performing security-related data analysis, and much more.

Exam Format

  • Questions : 75 multiple-choice
  • Exam duration : 2 hours
  • Passing score : 69%

Topics Covered

The GPYC exam thoroughly covers expertise in key Python programming areas, especially as applied to security goals.

Python Essentials

  • Language syntax, constructs, and datatypes
  • Control flow structures like conditionals and loops
  • Functions for reuse and modularity
  • Object-oriented programming basics
  • Common data structures like dicts, lists, tuples
  • File I/O operations

Security Automation

  • Regular expressions for searching and parsing
  • Database access using SQL and libraries
  • Network programming with sockets, clients/servers
  • Building executable scripts and programs
  • Packet parsing with Scapy
  • Automating security tasks like scanning, logging, etc.

Error Handling

  • Debugging techniques and tools
  • Handling exceptions robustly

Data Analysis

  • Log analysis with filtering and statistics
  • Binary data parsing and forensic artifacts
  • Data analysis basics like counting and correlations

How to Prepare for the Exam

Since the GPYC exam covers hands-on Python coding skills, the best preparation involves extensive hands-on experience.

Recommended resources for prep include Python security courses, coding labs, books, podcasts, and hands-on projects. Solid Python skills are key to pass the intensive coding-focused GPYC exam.

Resources

Books

  • Python Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming, 3rd Edition (2022) by Eric Matthes
  • Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: Practical Programming for Total Beginners, 2nd Edition (2019) by Al Sweigart
  • Python One-Liners: Write Concise, Eloquent Python Like a Professional (2020) by Christian Mayer
  • Beyond the Basic Stuff with Python: Best Practices for Writing Clean Code (2020) by Al Sweigart
  • Dead Simple Python: Idiomatic Python for the Impatient Programmer (2022) by Jason McDonald
  • Python Workout: 50 ten-minute exercises (2020) by Reuven M. Lerner
  • Modern Python Cookbook: 133 recipes to develop flawless and expressive programs in Python 3.8, 2nd Edition (2020) by Steven Lott
  • Python Ethical Hacking from Scratch: Think like an ethical hacker, avoid detection, and successfully develop, deploy, detect, and avoid malware (2021) by Fahad Sarwar
  • Python for Security and Networking: Leverage Python modules and tools in securing your network and applications, Third Edition (2023) by José Ortega
  • Introduction to Python Network Automation: The First Journey (2021) by Brendan Choi
  • Python Network Programming Techniques: 50 real-world recipes to automate infrastructure networks and overcome networking challenges with Python (2021) by Marcel Neidinger
  • Mastering Python Networking: Utilize Python packages and frameworks for network automation, monitoring, cloud, and management, 4th Edition (2023) by Eric Chou

Courses

  • SEC573: Automating Information Security with Python by Mark Baggett
  • Python for Security by LinkedIn Learning
  • The Complete Python Course by O’Reilly Media
  • Learn Enough Python to Be Dangerous: A Tutorial Introduction to Programming with Python by O’Reilly Media
  • The Modern Python 3 Bootcamp: Challenge your skills in Python to face real-world problems by O’Reilly Media
  • Python Workout: 50 ten-minute exercises by O’Reilly Media
  • Python for Penetration Testers by O’Reilly Media
  • Learn Python and Ethical Hacking from Scratch by O’Reilly Media
  • Python for Automating Information Security: Learn how to use python to automate information security by O’Reilly Media

Podcasts

  • The Real Python Podcast by Real Python
  • Talk Python to Me by Michael Kennedy
  • Python Bytes by Michael Kennedy and Brian Okken

Code Repositories

  • Automate the Boring Stuff with Python by Al Sweigart
  • The Complete Python Course by Jose Fuentes
  • The Modern Python Challenge by Matthew Macarty
  • Python Networking Cookbook by Marcel Neidinger
  • Python Ethical Hacking from Scratch by Fahad Sarwar
  • Python for Penetration Testers by Cristi Zot
  • Learn Python and Ethical Hacking from Scratch by Zaid Sabih
  • Python for Automating Information Security by Thomas McNeela

Sample Questions

  1. Which of the following is the output of the following code? 
     def foo(x):
     return x * 2

 result = foo((lambda x: x + 1)(10))

 print(result)
    • A. 10
    • B. 11
    • C. 21
    • D. 22
  2. Which of the following regular expressions will match all log lines in the sample log file that have a log level of INFO or DEBUG?

    2023-09-30 19:00:23 PST INFO: This is a log message. 2023-09-30 19:00:24 PST DEBUG: This is a debug message. 2023-09-30 19:00:25 PST WARNING: This is a warning message. 2023-09-30 19:00:26 PST ERROR: This is an error message.

    • A. ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s+\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\s+INFO:\s+[\w\s]+.$
    • B. ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s+\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\s+\w+\s+(DEBUG|INFO):\s+[\w\s]+.$
    • C. ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s+\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\s+\w+\s+\w+:\s+[\w\s]+.$
    • D. ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s+\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\s+DEBUG|INFO:\s+[\w\s]+.$
  3. Which of the following Scapy commands will print the source and destination IP addresses of all TCP packets in a PCAP file?
    • A. [f"{p[IP].src} > {p[IP].dst}" for p in rdpcap("test.pcap")[TCP]]
    • B. [f"{p[TCP].src} > {p[TCP].dst}" for p in rdpcap("test.pcap")[IP]]
    • C. rdpcap("test.pcap")[TCP].show()
    • D. [f"{p[IP].src} > {p[IP].dst}" for p in rdpcap("test.pcap")]

More Info