GIAC is a registered trademark of the Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc. SANS is not affiliated with these courses. GIAC has been an industry leader in information security certifications for years. The GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) is designed for Security Professionals who want to demonstrate that they are qualified for IT systems hands-on roles with respect to security tasks. GSEC is one of the DoDD Approved 8140 / 8570 Baseline Certifications for IAT Level II.