Google hacking

Google hacking, also named Google dorking, is a technique that uses Google Search and other applications to find security holes in the and that use.

"Google hacking" involves using advanced operators in the Google to locate specific strings of text within search results. Some of the more popular examples are finding specific versions of vulnerable . 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 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.

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

The concept of "Google hacking" dates back to 2002, when began to collect Google search queries that uncovered and/or – labeling them googleDorks.[4]

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.

Since its heyday[], the concepts explored in Google hacking have been extended to other , such as . use custom search dictionaries to find and in public systems that have been indexed by search engines.[10]