Google hacking

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Google hacking is a computer hacking technique that uses Google Search and other Google applications to find security holes in the configuration and computer code that websites use.

Basics

Google hacking involves using advanced operators in the Google search engine to locate specific strings of text within search results. Some of the more popular examples are finding specific versions of vulnerable Web applications. The following search query would locate all web pages that have that particular text contained within them. It is normal for default installations of applications to include their running version in every page they serve, for example, "Powered by XOOPS 2.2.3 Final".

The following search query will locate all websites that have the words "admbook" and "version" in the title of the website. It also checks to ensure that the web page being accessed is a PHP file.

intitle:admbook intitle:Fversion filetype:phpVipin

One can even retrieve the username and password list from Microsoft FrontPage servers by inputting the given microscript in Google search field:

"#-Frontpage-" inurl:administrators.pwd
or filetype:log inurl passwort login

Devices connected to the Internet can be found. A search string such as inurl:"ViewerFrame?Mode=" will find public web cameras.

Another useful search is following intitle:index.of[1] followed by a search keyword. This can give a list of files on the servers. For example, intitle:index.of mp3 will give all the MP3 files available on various servers.

Advanced operators

There are many similar advanced operators which can be used to exploit insecure websites:

Operator Purpose Mixes with Other Operators? Can be used Alone? Web Images Groups News
intitle Search page Title yes yes yes yes yes yes
allintitle[1] Search page title no yes yes yes yes yes
inurl Search URL yes yes yes yes not really like intitle
allinurl Search URL no yes yes yes yes like intitle
filetype specific files yes no yes yes no not really
allintext Search text of page only not really yes yes yes yes yes
site Search specific site yes yes yes yes no not really
link Search for links to pages no yes yes no no not really
inanchor Search link anchor text yes yes yes yes not really yes
numrange Locate number yes yes yes no no not really
daterange Search in data range yes no yes not really not really not really
author Group author search yes yes no no yes not really
group Group name search not really yes no no yes not really
insubject Group subject search yes yes like intitle like intitle yes like intitle
msgid Group msgid search no yes not really not really yes not really

History of Google Hacking

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Google Hacking History - Timeline by Bishop Fox
GoogleDorks begin - 08Dec2002.jpg
Johnny Long creates "googleDorks" in 2002

The concept of "Google Hacking" dates back to 2002, when Johnny Long began to collect interesting Google search queries that uncovered vulnerable systems and/or sensitive information disclosures - labeling them googleDorks.[2]

The list of googleDorks grew into large dictionary of queries, which were eventually organized into the original Google Hacking Database (GHDB) in 2004.[3] These Google hacking techniques were the focus of a book released by Johnny Long in 2005, called Google Hacking for Penetration Testers, Volume 1.[4]

Since its heyday, the concepts explored in Google Hacking have been extended to other search engines, such as Bing[5] and Shodan.[6] Automated attack tools[7] use custom search dictionaries to find vulnerable systems and sensitive information disclosures in public systems that have been indexed by search engines.

For a full visual timeline, detailing the major events and developments in Google Hacking from 2002 to Present, see the Google Hacking History by Bishop Fox.[8]

References

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External links