Google Dorks for Bug Bounty Part 3: Exposing Hidden Admin Panels & Login Portals

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Introduction:

“In the world of bug bounty hunting, admin panels and login portals are prime targets. These areas of a web application often contain high-privilege access and, when improperly secured, can be a goldmine for security researchers. Finding these hidden panels and misconfigured portals using Google Dorks can fast-track your bug hunting success.”

In this final part of the series, we will focus on how to use Google Dorks to discover exposed admin panels and login portals, and why finding these access points is so valuable for bug bounty hunters.

Admin panels are used to manage the backend of a web application, while login portals provide access to restricted sections of the site. Both are critical areas that, if exposed or misconfigured, could allow attackers to:

Bypass authentication and gain access to sensitive dataExecute privileged actions, such as user management or data modificationPerform brute-force attacks to gain unauthorized access

For bug bounty hunters, finding these panels and portals can lead to high-severity vulnerabilities, especially if they’re not properly protected or can be accessed without authentication.

Admin panels often have predictable naming conventions like /admin, /cpanel, or /administrator. Google Dorking can help you locate these hidden panels that may have been unintentionally exposed.

Dork Example:

site:target.com inurl:"/admin" OR inurl:"/login"

Explanation:

site:target.com restricts the search to the target domain.inurl:"/admin" searches for URLs containing “admin”, a common directory for admin panels.OR inurl:"/login" targets login pages, which are often found at paths like /login.

Why it’s critical: Exposed admin panels can give attackers a direct path to the most sensitive functions of a web application. If these panels aren’t protected by proper authentication or IP restrictions, they can be easily accessed and exploited.

Login portals are entry points for accessing restricted areas of a website. These can include employee dashboards, user management systems, or backend administrative tools. By using Google Dorks, you can often uncover login pages that aren’t meant to be publicly accessible.

Dork Example:

site:target.com inurl:"/login" OR inurl:"/signin"

Explanation:

site:target.com limits the search to the target website.inurl:"/login" looks for login pages.OR inurl:"/signin" searches for URLs containing “signin”, another common path for login portals.

Why it’s critical: Many login portals do not enforce strong security measures such as CAPTCHA or multi-factor authentication, making them vulnerable to brute-force attacks or password spraying.

Sometimes, you can fine-tune your Google Dorks to find admin panels that are tied to specific web technologies, like WordPress, Joomla, or Magento.

Dork Example 1: WordPress Admin Panel

site:target.com inurl:"/wp-admin/"

Explanation:

site:target.com focuses the search on the target website.inurl:"/wp-admin/" looks for URLs that contain the WordPress admin panel path.

Dork Example 2: Joomla Admin Panel

site:target.com inurl:"/administrator/"

Explanation:

site:target.com restricts the search to the target website.inurl:"/administrator/" searches for Joomla’s default admin directory.

Why it’s critical: If the admin panel is exposed and not well protected (e.g., lacking proper authentication), attackers can exploit it to gain full control over the web application.

Some websites use custom control panels or dashboards that aren’t as well-known or documented as WordPress or Joomla. Using broader search queries can help you find these hidden gems.

Dork Example:

site:target.com intitle:"Dashboard" OR intitle:"Control Panel"

Explanation:

site:target.com focuses the search on the target domain.intitle:"Dashboard" looks for pages with “Dashboard” in the title, which often indicates an admin or user dashboard.OR intitle:"Control Panel" targets control panels, commonly used by admins for website management.

Why it’s critical: Admin dashboards often give privileged access to features like user management, content editing, or even system-level functions. These panels should always be properly secured, but if they’re exposed, they can be a major vulnerability.

Sometimes, login portals or admin panels are protected by weak or misconfigured authentication systems. You can use Google Dorks to find login pages that are mistakenly exposed without proper access controls.

Dork Example:

site:target.com intitle:"Login" "admin" OR inurl:"/secure/"

Explanation:

site:target.com focuses on the target website.intitle:"Login" looks for pages with “Login” in the title."admin" searches for pages that include the word “admin”, which may indicate privileged access.OR inurl:"/secure/" looks for URLs that contain “secure”, which is commonly used for restricted sections of a website.

Why it’s critical: Many times, these pages are exposed without strong protections like multi-factor authentication or IP whitelisting, making them easy targets for brute-force attacks or credential stuffing.

Some websites accidentally expose directory listings, which can include admin panels or login pages. Google Dorks can help you identify these misconfigurations and uncover sensitive directories.

Dork Example:

site:target.com intitle:"index of" inurl:"/admin/"

Explanation:

site:target.com restricts the search to the target website.intitle:"index of" searches for directory listings.inurl:"/admin/" targets directories related to admin functionality.

Why it’s critical: Exposed directory listings can reveal sensitive files, such as configuration files or backup data, as well as provide direct links to unprotected admin panels.

“Mastering Google Dorks has opened up a world of opportunities for bug bounty hunters — from discovering critical files and hidden parameters to uncovering exposed admin panels and login portals. With these powerful techniques, you can efficiently map out vulnerabilities and increase your chances of hitting high-value bugs.”

As we wrap up this series, it’s essential to think about scaling your efforts. Automation is the next logical step in maximizing your bug bounty efficiency. Tools like Google Dork automation scripts, custom Google search queries, and even integrating dorks into tools like Google Hacking Database (GHDB) scanners can help you streamline the discovery process, allowing you to focus on deeper testing and vulnerability validation.

Incorporating automation into your bug bounty workflow will help you quickly scan targets for exposed admin panels, hidden parameters, and critical files, reducing manual effort and helping you stay ahead of the competition.

Stay tuned for future guides on automating Google orking and other advanced techniques to take your bug hunting to the next level!