Search Engine Discovery
Search engines are more than tools for answering everyday queries—they are gateways to immense information that can aid in web reconnaissance and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) gathering. This process is known as Search Engine Discovery.
What is Search Engine Discovery?
Search Engine Discovery refers to the use of search engines to extract data about target websites, organizations, and individuals using advanced search techniques. This method uncovers data not directly visible on websites but indexed by search engines.
Why It Matters
- Open Source: All the information gathered is publicly accessible, making it legal and ethical.
- Wide Coverage: Search engines index a vast amount of information.
- User-Friendly: No advanced technical skill is required.
- Free: It’s a cost-effective method of intelligence gathering.
Use Cases
- Security Assessment: Identify vulnerabilities, exposed documents, and login pages.
- Competitive Intelligence: Understand competitors’ infrastructure and strategies.
- Investigative Journalism: Find hidden connections or unethical activity.
- Threat Intelligence: Track malicious actors and potential threats.
Search Operators
Search operators act as filters or commands to narrow down search results. Here’s a categorized overview:
| Operator | Description | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
site: | Limit results to a domain | site | All indexed pages from example.com |
inurl: | Search for terms in the URL | inurl | Pages with “login” in their URL |
filetype: | Find specific file types | filetype | PDF files |
intitle: | Term in the page title | intitle:“confidential report” | Pages with “confidential report” in the title |
intext: | Term in body text | intext:“password reset” | Pages mentioning “password reset” |
cache: | View cached version | cache | Cached copy of the site |
link: | Pages linking to a URL | link | Backlinks to example.com |
related: | Find similar sites | related | Sites similar to example.com |
info: | Basic site info | info | Info snippet from Google |
define: | Definition search | define | Meaning of “phishing” |
allintext: | All terms in text | allintext | All terms present in body |
allinurl: | All terms in URL | allinurl | Pages with both terms in URL |
allintitle: | All terms in title | allintitle | All terms in page title |
AND | Logical AND operator | site | Both conditions must match |
OR | Logical OR operator | filetype | Either condition matches |
NOT | Logical NOT operator | site | Exclude pages with “login” in URL |
* (Wildcard) | Placeholder for unknown words | user* manual | Matches “user manual”, “user guide”, etc. |
.. (Range) | Numerical range filter | ”price” 100..500 | Prices between 100 and 500 |
"" | Exact phrase match | ”security policy” | Exact match (no variations) |
Google Dorking
Google Dorking, or Google Hacking, is the advanced use of search operators to discover:
- Sensitive files (PDFs, SQL dumps)
- Configuration files
- Admin login portals
- Security vulnerabilities
Examples
Login Pages:
site:example.com inurl:login site:example.com (inurl:login OR inurl:admin)Exposed Files:
site:example.com filetype:pdf
site:example.com (filetype:xls OR filetype:docx)- Config Files:
site:example.com inurl:config.php
site:example.com (ext:conf OR ext:cnf)- Database Backups:
site:example.com inurl:backup
site:example.com filetype:sqlStaff and Employee Enumeration
Why Employee Info Matters
Finding and analyzing employees on platforms like LinkedIn or Xing can reveal:
- Technologies used by the company
- Programming languages and tools
- Security posture based on employee responsibilities
- Potential entry points through misconfigured public resources
Clues from Job Posts
From a job listing, you might uncover:
- Programming Languages: Java, C#, C++, Python, Ruby, PHP, Perl
- Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle
- Frameworks: Flask, Django, Spring, ASP.NET MVC
- Version Control: Git, SVN, Perforce
- CI/CD Tools: Atlassian Suite (Jira, Confluence), Bitbucket
- Security Requirements: TS/SCI Clearance, Security+ certification
These insights help outline the technology stack and security posture of an organization.
Real-World Insight from Employee Profiles
Employee posts and shared GitHub repositories may unintentionally expose:
- Personal emails
- Hardcoded secrets (e.g., JWT tokens)
- Internal project names
- Vulnerable app configuration
For instance, a developer showcasing Django projects on GitHub might unknowingly expose sensitive implementation details or secrets in .env files.