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Let's Be Real: Google is Hiding Superpowers

You've been using Google wrong. We all have.

Most people type a few words, hit enter, and scroll through pages of results. But Google has a secret language — operators that let you search like a pro. And when I say pro, I mean finding stuff that's public but buried so deep nobody notices it's there.

That's Google Dorking. Sounds sketchy? It's not. It's just smart searching.

What Actually is This?

Google Dorking (yeah, weird name) is using special commands to make Google show you exactly what you want. Think of it like knowing the shortcuts in a video game while everyone else is still learning the basic controls.

You can find:

  • Documents people forgot they uploaded
  • Login pages nobody linked to
  • Files that shouldn't be public (but are)
  • Exposed databases, config files, and more

The crazy part? This is all stuff Google already indexed. You're just learning how to ask the right questions.

Who Actually Uses This?

- Cybersecurity professionals
- Ethical hackers
- OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) researchers
- Bug bounty hunters
- Investigative journalists
- Anyone interested in smart searching

Beginner Stuff (Safe to Try Right Now)

Let's start simple. These won't get you in trouble:

Finding public documents:

site:edu filetype:pdf "research paper" site:gov filetype:xlsx budget

Open directories (this one's fun):

intitle:"index of" backup intitle:"index of" password.txt

Basic recon on a company:

site:example.com filetype:pdf site:example.com inurl:admin

Try these right now. Seriously. You'll be surprised what's out there.

Getting Better (Intermediate Level)

Once you're comfortable, combine multiple operators. This is where it gets interesting:

Finding WordPress sites and their uploads:

inurl:wp-content/uploads filetype:pdf site:example.com inurl:wp-admin

Hunting for exposed credentials (report these, don't use them!):

site:pastebin.com "password" "@gmail.com" site:github.com "DB_PASSWORD" filetype:env "database"

Database files in the wild:

filetype:sql "INSERT INTO" intitle:"index of" db_backup

Config files people forgot about:

ext:xml inurl:config filetype:conf password

I've found production database credentials, API keys, and internal documents using just these searches. It's wild what people accidentally make public.

Advanced Stuff (Use Responsibly)

Warning: These can find serious vulnerabilities. Only use on sites you own or have permission to test.

Exposed source code:

inurl:".git" intitle:"index of"

Application errors (leak system info):

site:example.com "sql syntax error" site:example.com "Warning: mysql"

API keys everywhere:

site:github.com "api_key" OR "api_secret" ext:json "apiKey"

Backup files (jackpot for attackers):

intitle:"index of" "backup.sql" ext:bak inurl:wp-config

Real talk: I once found a complete database backup of a company with 50,000 user records just sitting in a public directory. Reported it immediately. They fixed it in hours.

Real-World Uses (OSINT)

This isn't just for security testing. Here's how people actually use this:

Company research:

site:linkedin.com "CISO" "Company Name" site:example.com filetype:pdf "org chart"

Finding email patterns:

site:example.com "@example.com"

Tech stack identification:

site:example.com "powered by"

Job hunting (reverse way):

site:example.com inurl:careers "security"

I've used these to prepare for interviews, research companies before applying, and understand what technologies teams are using.

Protecting Your Own Site

If you run a website, here's how to not show up in dorking searches:

robots.txt (basic protection):

User-agent: * Disallow: /admin/ Disallow: /backup/ Disallow: /.git/

Server config (Apache):

Options -Indexes

Regular checks:

site:yoursite.com filetype:sql site:yoursite.com ext:env site:yoursite.com intitle:"index of"

Run these against your own domain monthly. If you find something sketchy, fix it immediately.

Quick wins:

  • Delete old backup files
  • Remove .git folders from production
  • Disable directory listing
  • Keep sensitive files outside web root
  • Use Google Search Console to monitor what's indexed

Tools That Make This Easier

Google Hacking Database (GHDB) — exploit-db.com/google-hacking-database Huge collection of dorks organized by category. Bookmark this.

Shodan — shodan.io Like Google but for devices and servers. Scary powerful.

theHarvester — Email and subdomain harvesting tool

SpiderFoot — Automated OSINT collection

Recon-ng — Reconnaissance framework

Don't just use Google. Combine it with these tools and you'll find 10x more information.

Tips That Actually Matter

1. Combine everything

site:example.com (inurl:admin OR inurl:login) -inurl:css

2. Use quotes for exact matches Makes searches way more accurate

3. Exclude noise

security -jobs -hiring -career

4. Time-based searching

site:example.com after:2024-01-01

5. Keep a personal list Every time you find a good dork, save it. Build your own library.

6. Don't hammer Google Space out your searches or they'll temporarily block you

7. Verify everything Just because Google found it doesn't mean it's current or accurate

The Legal Stuff (Actually Important)

Look, I need to say this clearly:

What's fine:

  • Searching Google normally with operators
  • Testing your own websites
  • Authorized pen testing with written permission
  • Learning and education
  • Responsible disclosure when you find vulnerabilities

What's illegal:

  • Using credentials you found
  • Accessing systems without permission
  • Downloading confidential data
  • Selling vulnerabilities
  • Pretty much anything unauthorized

If you find something bad:

  1. Don't touch it
  2. Screenshot/document it
  3. Contact the company (security@company.com usually works)
  4. Give them time to fix it
  5. Don't be a jerk about it