Google Dorks

I have a system administrator friend that asked if there was an easy way to compile a list of companies that use a specific online platform and how we could go about finding them. My response … Google Dorks!

Google Dork?

A Google Dork involves using advanced operators in the Google search engine to locate specific strings of text within search results. Most people call this Google hacking and use these searches to find specific versions of vulnerable Web applications.

Calling these searches hacking is the same as saying you drive a Cadillac when really it’s a 1980s Oldsmobile. Sure they both have chassis auto-leveling and sirrea grain leather but it’s still an Oldsmobile and your still not a hacker.

Search Modifiers

So — Now that you know what a google dork search is, how can we use these to find what we are looking for? Well Young Padawan, it all depends on what your searching for. For my buddy, we needed to find any college university that is using the Edvance360 Learning Management System (LMS) kicking us off by only needing .edu domain names. This is accomplished by using the site: search modifier. site:edu commands almighty google to search only inside results for domain names ending in edu.

We are now limiting to only educational websites. Next is to find who out of .edu list runs the e360 platform. Hello intitle:, you sexy seven letter fox. Adding intitle: to the search will only return results that contain the text we are looking for. Combined with site: our search is now super focused. Using multiple modifiers or swapping modifiers out for others will return different search results allowing you to build your list.

Complete search returning .edu sites that have a page containing “edvance360”
site:edu intitle:”edvance360"

To get the best results think about what the system in question gives you. Would the organization have specific text on a page linking to the system
- intext:”edvancee360".

How about standardized footer text?
- intext:”powered by mailgust”

Sensitive Directories?
- inurl:trash%20intitle:index.of

Additional Resources

A few resources to begin your journey. You can use modifiers to search for filetypes, directory names, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

10 Clever Google Search Tips
SQL Injection Examples
Google Hacking Database