Certified: GSOM and the Path to Security Operations Leadership

In this episode, we walk through the GIAC Security Operations Manager (GSOM) certification and explain why it matters for cyber professionals who want to understand the security operations center as more than an alert queue. Based on my Monday “Certified” feature from Bare Metal Cyber Magazine, the discussion covers who GSOM is for, how it fits into SOC leadership, and why it is especially relevant for analysts, leads, and managers who want to connect daily defensive work to business risk, incident response, metrics, and continuous improvement.We also break down what the exam really tests, including SOC design, alert handling, incident response preparation, data source planning, proactive detection, and operational maturity. The episode keeps the focus practical and beginner-friendly, while also showing where GSOM fits in a larger cyber career path. The Bare Metal Cyber Academy serves as the broader home for the connected certification resources, including structured study support for listeners who want a more organized way to prepare.