OSINT Tools: Google Dorking

What is Google Dorking?

Google Dorking is a method of refining Google searches using specific operators and queries to retrieve precise and often sensitive information from indexed websites. The term “dork” in this context refers to someone who is not tech-savvy, but Google Dorking is anything but amateurish. It’s a powerful skill that can be used for both ethical and unethical purposes.

A Brief History of Google Dorking

Google Dorking emerged in the early 2000s when Johnny Long, a cybersecurity researcher, started cataloging advanced Google search queries. He famously coined the term “Google Hacking” and wrote the book “Google Hacking for Penetration Testers,” which laid the foundation for using Google Dorks responsibly for security assessments.

Responsible Use of Google Dorks

Before diving into advanced techniques, let’s emphasize the importance of responsible use:

1. Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Always ensure that your Google Dorking activities are legal and ethical. Unauthorized access or data scraping can lead to legal consequences.

2. Seek Permission

• Obtain explicit permission before scanning or querying any website or network that you do not own or have authorized access to.

3. Use It for Good

• Google Dorks can be a valuable tool for security assessments, research, and finding publicly available information. Use it to enhance cybersecurity, not compromise it.

4. Be Mindful of Privacy

• Respect individuals’ privacy and avoid sharing personally identifiable information obtained through Google Dorking.

Advanced Google Dorking Techniques

Now that we’ve established responsible use, let’s explore some advanced Google Dorking techniques:

1. Site Operator

• Use site: to restrict your search to a specific website. For example, site:wikipedia.org OpenAI will only return results from Wikipedia about OpenAI.

2. Filetype Operator

• Use filetype: to search for specific file types. For example, filetype:pdf cybersecurity will return PDF files related to cybersecurity.

3. Intitle Operator

• Use intitle: to find pages with specific words in their title. For example, intitle:"confidential document" will search for pages with “confidential document” in their title.

4. Inurl Operator

• Use inurl: to search for specific words in the URL. For example, inurl:login will find pages with “login” in their URL.

5. Related Operator

• Use related: to find websites related to a specific URL. For example, related:example.com will list sites related to example.com.

6. Cache Operator

• Use cache: to view the cached version of a webpage. For example, cache:example.com will show Google’s cached version of the site.

7. Link Operator

• Use link: to find pages that link to a specific URL. For example, link:example.com will list pages that link to example.com.

8. Cacheinfo Operator

• Use cacheinfo: to retrieve information about a cached page. This operator provides details about the date and time the page was indexed by Google and the URL of the cached version. For example, cacheinfo:example.com will display cache information for example.com.

9. Define Operator

• Use define: to find definitions of words or phrases. For example, define:cybersecurity will provide definitions and explanations of the term “cybersecurity.”

10. Info Operator

• Use info: to find information about a specific web page. It provides details such as similar pages, pages that link to the specified URL, and pages that contain similar content. For example, info:example.com will display information about example.com.

11. Movie Operator

• Use movie: to search for movie-related information. For instance, movie:"The Matrix" will provide details about the movie “The Matrix,” including links to official websites, trailers, and reviews.

12. Map Operator

• Use map: to find maps related to a specific location. For example, map:New York City will show maps and map-related results for New York City.

13. Book Operator

• Use book: to search for books related to a specific topic or author. For instance, book:"Artificial Intelligence" will return results related to books on artificial intelligence.

14. Phonebook Operator

• Use phonebook: to search for phonebook listings. For example, phonebook:John Doe New York will attempt to find phonebook listings for individuals named John Doe in New York.

15. Movie Title Operator

• Use intitle:"movie" to find pages with the word “movie” in their title. This can be useful for discovering movie-related resources. For example, intitle:"movie" reviews will return pages with movie reviews.

16. Linktitle Operator

• Use linktitle: to find pages that link to URLs with specific words in their titles. For instance, linktitle:"cybersecurity" will display pages that link to URLs with “cybersecurity” in their titles.

17. Inanchor Operator

• Use inanchor: to search for pages that have specific anchor text in their backlinks. This can be useful for finding pages that reference specific topics. For example, inanchor:"data privacy" will list pages with backlinks containing “data privacy.”

18. Allinanchor Operator

• Use allinanchor: to find pages where all the words specified in the query appear in the anchor text of links pointing to the page. For example, allinanchor:"cybersecurity best practices" will return pages where the anchor text of linking pages contains all the specified words.

19. Allintext Operator

• Use allintext: to search for pages where all the specified words appear in the body text of the page. For instance, allintext:"data privacy laws" will find pages with all the specified words in their content.

20. Allintitle Operator

• Use allintitle: to find pages where all the specified words appear in the title of the page. For example, allintitle:"Python tutorial" will return pages with all the specified words in their titles.

21. Allinurl Operator

• Use allinurl: to find pages where all the specified words appear in the URL of the page. For instance, allinurl:"blog Python" will list pages with URLs containing both “blog” and “Python.”

22. Author Operator

• Use author: to search for pages authored by a specific person or entity. For example, author:"John Smith" will return pages attributed to John Smith.

23. Stocks Operator

• Use stocks: to retrieve stock-related information. For instance, stocks:GOOGL will display stock information for Alphabet Inc. (Google).

24. Weather Operator

• Use weather: to get current weather conditions and forecasts for a specific location. For example, weather:New York will provide weather information for New York.

25. Define Operator (Advanced)

• Use define: in conjunction with a file format operator (e.g., filetype:) to find specific types of definitions. For example, define:filetype:pdf "cybersecurity" will look for PDF files containing definitions of “cybersecurity.”

26. Info Operator (Advanced)

• Use info: in conjunction with a domain operator (e.g., site:) to find information about a specific website. For example, info:site:wikipedia.org will provide details about Wikipedia’s indexed pages and related information.

27. Inpostauthor Operator

• Use inpostauthor: to find blog posts authored by a specific person. For example, inpostauthor:"Jane Doe" will return blog posts authored by Jane Doe.

Ethical Hacking and Google Dorking

For cybersecurity professionals, Google Dorking can be a valuable part of ethical hacking and penetration testing. It helps identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that can be exploited by malicious actors. However, it’s essential to use these techniques responsibly and within the bounds of the law.

Conclusion

Google Dorking is a powerful method for uncovering information on the internet, but with great power comes great responsibility. Whether you’re a security professional, researcher, or just a curious individual, always use Google Dorks responsibly, respecting privacy and legality. When used ethically, Google Dorking can be a valuable tool for gathering information and enhancing cybersecurity.