Google Dorking: Advanced Searching Techniques

Google Dorking, also known simply as Google hacking, is a technique that leverages advanced search operators to find specific information that is not easily accessible through regular searches. By manipulating search queries, users can uncover sensitive data, confidential documents, vulnerable files, and hidden web pages.

How Google Indexing Works

Google indexes publicly available webpages by crawling the internet and storing information in its vast database. When a user performs a search, Google retrieves the most relevant results from its index. Many organizations inadvertently expose sensitive information, which can be discovered using advanced search queries. Google Dorking takes advantage of this indexing process to find data that was not intended to be publicly accessible.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. The authors and publishers assume no responsibility for any misuse of the techniques described herein. Google Dorking should only be used on websites that you own or have explicit permission to test. Unauthorized access to computer systems and data is illegal and may result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Always ensure that your activities comply with applicable laws and regulations. If you discover any potentially sensitive information through Google Dorking, report it responsibly to the appropriate authorities or website owners. Engaging in any illegal or unethical activity using these techniques is strongly discouraged. The user assumes all responsibility for their actions.

Google Dorking is a powerful tool that can be used for ethical cybersecurity research but also has potential for misuse. Malicious actors often use it to uncover exposed databases, API keys, login portals, and other sensitive information. Unauthorized access to such data may violate laws such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in the U.S. or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.

Responsible Use:

• Only use Google Dorking on websites you own or have explicit permission to test.
• If you discover exposed sensitive information, responsibly disclose it to the organization.
• Be aware that some queries may trigger security monitoring systems.

Common Google Search Operators and Examples

1. site: – Restrict results to a specific website

Scenario: You are looking for a PDF report about cyber threats published by the NSA.

Example Command: site:nsa.gov filetype:pdf "cyber threat" and "report"

2. filetype: / ext: – Search for specific file types

Scenario: Searching for an Excel spreadsheet about COVID-19 cases on the WHO website.

Example command: site:who.int filetype:xls "covid cases"

3. intitle: / allintitle: – Find pages with specific words in the title

Scenario: Searching for open directory listings that may contain backup files in UK

Example command: intitle:"index of / backups" and site:*.uk

4. inurl: / allinurl: – Search for keywords in URLs

Scenario: Looking for administrative login pages, which may be vulnerable to attacks.

Example command: inurl:/admin/ you can significantly improve the search by:

• Expanding the keyword list: Administrative login pages aren't always located at /admin/.
• Combining keywords with logical operators: To refine the search and reduce irrelevant results.
• Using more specific URL patterns: To target common login page structures.
• Excluding irrelevant file types: To focus on web pages.
• Using advanced operators: To refine the search to specific technologies.

5. intext: / allintext: – Search for specific words in a page's content

Scenario: Searching for configuration files that expose database passwords.

Example command: intext:"DB_PASSWORD" filetype:env

I am not putting screen here - but the results are shocking.

6. cache: – View Google’s cached version of a webpage

Scenario: Viewing an older version of a news article that has been updated or removed.

Example command: cache:bbc.com/news

Limitation:

• Not all pages are cached.
• The cache is not updated in real-time, so the stored version might be outdated.
• Google's caching behavior can vary.
• It is becoming less reliable than it once was.

Better you can use: https://web.archive.org/

7. related: – Find related websites

Example: related:amazon.com Scenario: Finding competitor websites similar to Amazon.

8. link: – Find pages that link to a specific URL

Example: link:cdc.gov Scenario: Finding websites that have linked to the CDC's website.

9. () – Group multiple terms or operators

Example: inurl:(login | admin | dashboard) Scenario: Searching for login pages using different common keywords.

10. * – Wildcard for missing words

Example: "password * 123" Scenario: Finding variations of the phrase "password is 123."

11. m..n / m...n – Search for a range of numbers

Example: "annual budget" $100000..$500000 Scenario: Searching for reports mentioning budgets between $100,000 and $500,000.

12. - (Minus Operator) – Exclude words from search results

Example: site:github.com -site:github.io Scenario: Searching for repositories on GitHub while excluding GitHub Pages results.

13. + – Force inclusion of a term

Example: +"climate change" site:nytimes.com Scenario: Ensuring that the phrase "climate change" appears in all results from The New York Times.

14. | / OR – Logical OR operator

Example: "cybersecurity" OR "infosec" Scenario: Searching for articles that contain either "cybersecurity" or "infosec."

15. AROUND(n) – Find words within a certain distance of each other

Example: "hacking" AROUND(5) "laws" Scenario: Searching for discussions about hacking laws where both terms appear close together.

16. before: / after: – Search for content published within a date range

Example: site:whitehouse.gov after:2023-01-01 Scenario: Finding recent press releases from the White House.

17. define: – Find definitions of a word

Example: define:phishing Scenario: Finding the definition of "phishing."

18. info: – Get information about a website

Example: info:openai.com Scenario: Retrieving details about OpenAI's website.

19. inanchor: – Search for words in anchor text

Example: inanchor:"download free report" Scenario: Finding pages where "download free report" is used as a hyperlink.

20. index of – Find open directories

Example: intitle:"index of" "confidential" Scenario: Searching for open directories containing files labeled "confidential."

21. phonebook: – Search for phone numbers

Example: phonebook:"John Doe" Scenario: Finding phone numbers associated with "John Doe."

22. safesearch: – Exclude adult content

Example: safesearch:gambling Scenario: Filtering out gambling-related search results.

23. source: – Search within a specific news source

Example: source:cnn.com "climate change" Scenario: Finding climate change-related news articles from CNN.

24. weather: – Find weather information

Example: weather:New York Scenario: Checking the weather forecast for New York.

Combining Operators for Advanced Searches

Google Dorking becomes even more powerful when multiple operators are combined:

Example: site:gov filetype:pdf intitle:"confidential" -password Scenario: Finding government PDFs labeled as "confidential" while excluding any that mention "password."

Example: inurl:/admin/ intext:"login" -site:example.com Scenario: Searching for admin login pages across the web while excluding example.com.

Conclusion

Google Dorking is a valuable tool for information gathering, cybersecurity research, and investigative journalism. However, it must be used responsibly and legally. By understanding how to refine searches using advanced operators, users can uncover hidden information efficiently while adhering to ethical guidelines.