Search operators are like search engines' secret codes. These special commands and modifiers unlock a new level of precision and control, allowing you to pinpoint specific types of information amidst the vastness of the indexed web.
https://www.exploit-db.com/google-hacking-database
Advanced search operators:
| Operator | Operator Description | Example | Example Description |
|---|---|---|---|
site: |
Limits results to a specific website or domain. | site:example.com |
Find all publicly accessible pages on example.com. |
inurl: |
Finds pages with a specific term in the URL. | inurl:login |
Search for login pages on any website. |
filetype: |
Searches for files of a particular type. | filetype:pdf |
Find downloadable PDF documents. |
intitle: |
Finds pages with a specific term in the title. | intitle:"confidential report" |
Look for documents titled "confidential report" or similar variations. |
intext: or inbody: |
Searches for a term within the body text of pages. | intext:"password reset" |
Identify webpages containing the term “password reset”. |
cache: |
Displays the cached version of a webpage (if available). | cache:example.com |
View the cached version of example.com to see its previous content. |
link: |
Finds pages that link to a specific webpage. | link:example.com |
Identify websites linking to example.com. |
related: |
Finds websites related to a specific webpage. | related:example.com |
Discover websites similar to example.com. |
info: |
Provides a summary of information about a webpage. | info:example.com |
Get basic details about example.com, such as its title and description. |
define: |
Provides definitions of a word or phrase. | define:phishing |
Get a definition of "phishing" from various sources. |
numrange: |
Searches for numbers within a specific range. | site:example.com numrange:1000-2000 |
Find pages on example.com containing numbers between 1000 and 2000. |
allintext: |
Finds pages containing all specified words in the body text. | allintext:admin password reset |
Search for pages containing both "admin" and "password reset" in the body text. |
allinurl: |
Finds pages containing all specified words in the URL. | allinurl:admin panel |
Look for pages with "admin" and "panel" in the URL. |
allintitle: |
Finds pages containing all specified words in the title. | allintitle:confidential report 2023 |
Search for pages with "confidential," "report," and "2023" in the title. |
AND |
Narrows results by requiring all terms to be present. | site:example.com AND (inurl:admin OR inurl:login) |
Find admin or login pages specifically on example.com. |
OR |
Broadens results by including pages with any of the terms. | "linux" OR "ubuntu" OR "debian" |
Search for webpages mentioning Linux, Ubuntu, or Debian. |
NOT |
Excludes results containing the specified term. | site:bank.com NOT inurl:login |
Find pages on bank.com excluding login pages. |
* (wildcard) |
Represents any character or word. | site:socialnetwork.com filetype:pdf user* manual |
Search for user manuals (user guide, user handbook) in PDF format on socialnetwork.com. |
.. (range search) |
Finds results within a specified numerical range. | site:ecommerce.com "price" 100..500 |
Look for products priced between 100 and 500 on an e-commerce website. |
" " (quotation marks) |
Searches for exact phrases. | "information security policy" |
Find documents mentioning the exact phrase "information security policy". |
- (minus sign) |
Excludes terms from the search results. | site:news.com -inurl:sports |
Search for news articles on news.com excluding sports-related content. |