Practically every person makes use of Google or other similar search engines, but what most do not know is the capability of search engines to handle advanced queries. In the content below, we explore both Google Dorking and “Google Hacking” and discuss how they are useful.

What is Google Dorking?

A Google Dork query, sometimes called a “dork,” is a search string that employs advanced search operators to search for information not readily accessible on a website. Since its inception, the features of Google Dorking have been made available to other Open Source Network Intelligence Tools (OSNIT) and search engines.

  • The usage of advanced operators in Google is termed “Dorking.”
  • The strings used for Dorking are termed “Google Dorks.”
  • These strings can be a single basic string or a complex combination of advanced operators as a unique string for searching.
  • Individual Dork has a specific meaning which enables the search engine to filter out or narrow down search results.

How Google Dorking is Useful

Google Dorks are useful in network mapping as subdomains of selected sites can be found through Simple Dorks. Although it still poses some level of challenges with insecurities, Google Dorks still presents some top benefits like testing personal websites and more.

Additionally, Google Dorking remains a proactive security tool that makes use of online repositories like the Google Hacking Database (GHDB) and other databases to make available access to thousands of exploit entries. As a result, they help find hidden information, vulnerabilities, and access pages for particular websites.

With its advanced operators in the Google search engine, Google Dorking can locate specific information (e.g., file name, version, and more) within search results.

Basic Syntax for Using an Advanced Operator in Google

• operator_name: keyword
• Some other simple Google Dorks Syntax includes:
• allintitle and intitle: comprises of title specified phrase.
• Filetype: search for specific filetype formats.
• inurl: limits the results from the URLS using a particular phrase(s).
• Site: would return the website on the resulting domain.

What Data Can Be Found Through Google Dorks?

• Admin login pages.
• Bank account details.
• Email lists.
• Govt/military data.
• Sensitive documents.
• Username and passwords and lots more.

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Buddy is a military veteran, former intelligence officer, and entrepreneur who teaches dozens of courses on a variety of intelligence-related topics. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Echo Analytics Group and is based in Tampa, Florida.