Google hacking

"Google hacking" involves using advanced operators in the Google search engine to locate specific errors of text within search results. Some of the more popular examples are finding specific versions of vulnerable Web applications. A search query with intitle:admbook intitle:Fversion filetype:php 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".

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 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 types of servers.

You can use symbols or words in your search to make your search results more precise.[4]

• Google Search usually ignores punctuation that isn’t part of a search operator.[4]
• Don’t put spaces between the symbol or word and your search term. A search for site:nytimes.com will work, but site: nytimes.com won’t.[4]

Many similar advanced operators can be used to exploit insecure websites:

For a list of operators, refer to Google Search Help

The concept of "Google hacking" dates back to 2002, when Johnny Long began to collect Google search queries that uncovered vulnerable systems and/or sensitive information disclosures – labeling them googleDorks.[6]

The list of Google Dorks grew into a large dictionary of queries, which were eventually organized into the original Google Hacking Database (GHDB) in 2004.[7][8]

Since its heyday, the concepts explored in Google hacking have been extended to other search engines, such as Bing[9] and Shodan.[10] Automated attack tools[11] use custom search dictionaries to find vulnerable systems and sensitive information disclosures in public systems that have been indexed by search engines.[12]

Robots.txt is a well known file for search engine optimization and protection against google dorking. It involves use of robots.txt to disallow everything or specific endpoints (hackers can still search robots.txt for endpoints) which prevents google bot from crawling sensitive endpoints such as admin panels. According to RFC 5785, modern practice of placing robots.txt is in /.well_known directory.[13]

• Google Hacking Diggity Project - Bishop Fox – a research and development initiative dedicated to investigating the latest techniques that leverage search engines (such as Google, Bing, and Shodan) to quickly identify vulnerable systems and sensitive data on public networks. An arsenal of free attack and defense tools related to search engine hacking are available for download.
• Google Hacking Database (GHDB) - REBORN - 09Nov2010 – Exploit-db.com folks picked up the effort of maintaining and adding to the original GHDB JohnnyIHackStuff.com created by Johnny Long.
• "Google Hacking: .pdf Document", boris-koch.de (printable, .pdf)
• "Google Hacking: .pdf Document", boris-koch.de (printable, .pdf)
• "Google Help: Cheat Sheet", Google (printable)
• Google Hacking for Penetration - Using Google as a Security Testing Tool, Introduction by Johnny Long