Unleashing GitHub Dorks: The Ultimate Hack for Finding Hidden Secrets in Bug Bounties!

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Introduction: In the bug bounty world, GitHub repositories are a treasure trove of information. Developers often unintentionally leave sensitive data exposed, such as API keys, passwords, or configuration files. By using GitHub Dorks, bug hunters can manually search through these public repositories and find valuable information that could lead to potential vulnerabilities.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to effectively use GitHub Dorks and provide real examples using target.com to showcase how to uncover sensitive data manually.

GitHub Dorks are specific search queries designed to help bug hunters find sensitive or valuable information across GitHub repositories. By using GitHub’s advanced search feature, you can pinpoint files, commits, or code that may contain security flaws, secrets, or sensitive configuration data.

Why use GitHub Dorks?

Sensitive Information: Find API keys, credentials, tokens, and passwords left in code.Configuration Mistakes: Discover misconfigured servers or exposed environment files.Overlooked Secrets: Expose forgotten information, such as hardcoded credentials or admin URLs.

GitHub has a powerful search feature, and using GitHub Dorks, you can easily find sensitive information. The general structure of a GitHub Dork is:

keyword [search operator] target.com

We’ll focus on common sensitive files and keywords that often lead to vulnerabilities.

Here are some of the most commonly used GitHub Dorks, with real examples targeting target.com.

Finding Exposed API Keys :
API keys are often mistakenly hardcoded into public repositories. To search for API keys related to target.com, you can use the following GitHub Dork:

target.com "api_key"

This will search for the term api_key associated with target.com. It will show repositories where developers might have left API keys exposed, which could be valuable for bug hunters.

Example Dork:

api_key target.com

What to Look For:

API key formats like API_KEY, SECRET_KEY, or AUTH_TOKEN.

Passwords often get accidentally pushed into GitHub repositories. Use the following GitHub Dork to locate them

target.com "password"

This search will bring up any instance where the word “password” is mentioned in association with target.com.

Example Dork:

password target.com

What to Look For:

Hardcoded passwords.Configuration files with credentials.

Finding Sensitive Configuration Files (.env)
Developers sometimes push environment files (.env) to GitHub that contain sensitive configurations like database credentials, tokens, or email passwords.

target.com extension:env

This dork specifically looks for .env files related to target.com.

Example Dork:

extension:env target.com

What to Look For:

Database credentials (DB_USER, DB_PASS).AWS or cloud credentials (AWS_ACCESS_KEY, AWS_SECRET_KEY).Tokens and service keys.

SQL dump files (.sql) can sometimes be left on GitHub, containing sensitive database information.

target.com extension:sql

This will search for SQL dump files related to target.com.

Example Dork:

extension:sql target.com

What to Look For:

Database structure or contents.Usernames and hashed passwords.Sensitive data like emails or transaction details.

Discovering JSON Files with Sensitive Data
JSON files often contain structured data that may include API keys, tokens, or sensitive configurations.

target.com extension:jsonExample Dork:extension:json target.com

What to Look For:

API keys, access tokens.Configuration settings that could expose vulnerabilities.

Sometimes, developers accidentally upload SSH private keys or GitHub access tokens to their repositories.

target.com "BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY"

This GitHub Dork will search for private keys associated with target.com.

Example Dork:

"BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY" target.com

What to Look For:

SSH keys that could allow unauthorized access.Tokens or certificates used for authentication.

Refining Your Search: Use advanced operators like extension: to narrow down your search by file type, or in:path to search for files in specific directories within repositories.Monitoring for Exposed Secrets: Keep an eye on newly created repositories or recent commits related to your target. Public repositories are constantly updated, and secrets might get pushed over time.Use Alerts: Set up GitHub alerts to notify you when new results matching your dorks are pushed to public repositories. This can give you a heads-up on potential vulnerabilities as they’re exposed.

GitHub Dorks provide an invaluable tool for bug hunters looking to uncover sensitive information that can lead to serious vulnerabilities. By manually using these search queries, you can quickly and effectively find exposed credentials, configuration files, and other sensitive data that could be the key to your next bug bounty success.

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