🔍Secrets
How Security Researchers Can Track Recently Exposed
on GitHub (Tip & Trick)
🔐 Alert to All Security Researchers! 🔐
GitHub has recently removed its advanced search filter—leaving many of us
searching for an alternative way to track exposed secrets, API keys, and
vulnerabilities. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with a simple trick using
Google search that helps you spot sensitive information in real-time.
Here’s how you can track recently updated GitHub assets that could potentially
expose sensitive data:
🛠️ The Google Search Trick for GitHub Security Researchers
1. Start with Google Search:
Use Google’s search engine to target specific keywords that might lead to
sensitive information on GitHub. Here’s an example search query:
site:[Link] intext:AWS_SECRET_KEY intext:[Link]
Replace AWS_SECRET_KEY and [Link] with the sensitive data you’re looking for
(e.g., API_KEY , PASSWORD , etc.).
2. Open Google’s Advanced Search Tools:
After searching, click on the “
Tools” button right below the search bar. This will unlock extra filtering
options.
3. Filter by Recent Activity:
Click on the “Any time” dropdown menu.
Select “Past 24 hours,” “Past week,” or “Past month.”
Choose the timeframe that fits your needs to find the most recently
updated repositories.
4. Review Exposed Assets:
Google will now display all GitHub pages with your targeted keywords, filtered
Untitled 1
by the timeframe you chose. Look for repositories, issues, and pull requests
that could have exposed secrets like API keys, access tokens, or other
sensitive data.
Why This Method is a Game-Changer for Security Researchers:
⚠️Track Newly Exposed Secrets: You can spot freshly pushed sensitive data—
helping prevent exposure before it’s too late.
⏰ Real-Time Alerts: This method lets you filter for the most recent activity,
ensuring you’re always one step ahead in your security assessments.
🛡️ Stay on Top of GitHub Security: GitHub’s advanced search may be gone, but
Google still offers powerful ways to monitor code for security risks. This hack is
your new go-to for monitoring vulnerabilities!
Use Cases for Security Researchers:
Find Leaked API Keys: Security researchers often track newly committed
credentials. Use this trick to find exposed secrets like AWS keys, passwords,
or database credentials across GitHub.
Monitor New Vulnerabilities: If you're hunting for newly reported
vulnerabilities in projects, filtering for recent issues, pull requests, or commit
logs can help you stay updated.
Prevent Data Breaches: By actively searching for sensitive exposed data (like
keys or tokens), you can quickly mitigate risks and prevent potential data
breaches.
Pro Tip: Set up custom Google alerts for specific keywords (like
AWS_SECRET_KEY ) and get real-time notifications when they
appear in GitHub repositories. Combine this with the advanced
search filter to level up your monitoring game!
👀 Why This Matters to Security Researchers:
GitHub remains a goldmine for discovering exposed secrets. This method will help
you stay ahead of potential security threats and keep your organization's data
Untitled 2
safe.
Don't let GitHub's search change slow you down. Use this Google search hack to
🚨
keep tracking, detecting, and securing exposed assets.
Spread the word, fellow researchers—this simple trick could be a game-changer
in preventing data leaks before they spiral out of control!
Untitled 3
