Interesting... 'Hack' Google

Kr0m

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Found this over at Reuters, written by Andy Sullivan, dated Feb. 11.

Hackers have found a handy tool to take control of bank accounts, tap into corporate computer networks and dig up sensitive government documents.

It's called Google.

The Internet's most popular search engine can find everything from goldfish-care tips to old classmates in the blink of an eye, but it's equally adept at finding caches of credit-card numbers and back doors into protected databases.

Google Inc. and other search providers create an inventory of the World Wide Web through an automated process that can uncover obscure Web pages not meant for the public.

"If you don't want the world to see it, keep it off the Web," said Johnny Long, a Computer Sciences researcher and author of "Google Hacking for Penetration Testers."

Unlike other intrusion techniques, Google hacking doesn't require special software or an extensive knowledge of computer code.

At a recent hackers' conference in Washington, Long demonstrated the eye-opening results of dozens of well-crafted Google searches.

Using Google, identity thieves can easily find credit-card and bank-account numbers, tax returns, and other personal information buried in court documents, expense reports and school Web sites that contain such information.

Google hackers can download Department of Homeland Security threat assessments marked "For Official Use Only."

They can gain control of office printers, Internet phones and other devices controlled through a Web interface -- including electrical power systems.

"One Google query, a couple of buttons, you can actually turn off power to their house," Long said.

Corporate spies can uncover passwords and user names needed to log on to a corporate network, or find poorly configured computers that still use default passwords.

More info here:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/new...IN163746_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-COLUMN-PLUGGEDIN.XML
 
yup, it has loads of uses. There was an article posted on NewOrder that went into some detail.
You can use google to display the index of a directory and steal the .htpasswd file. As well as already mentioned cache's of passwords. :)
 
I promise to cherish Google and not use it for malicious purposes.

You heard it here first. ;) Rock on Google.
 
These kinds of storys/posts come out every month since google became big. :D
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
Xie wrote on Electronic Punk's profile.
Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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