Google is a powerful tool. Most of the time, most users are restricted to using Google as a search engine, and looking at pages on the internet Google has allowed or encouraged you to see, but there is a darker side to Google – “Google Hacks.”

Google hacks are strings of code entered into the search box that will access information that was never intended to be available to the general public. Some enterprising hacker has discovered which particular string of search parameters will provide normally restricted information.

There are many hacking guides, written by hackers. Unfortunately, most of these guides are written for the already initiated and assume a level of knowledge far above the typical user’s. Loosely translated this means they are a, really boring and b, impossible to understand.

The other problem I came across looking for usable hacks is that the hackers are far more comfortable talking to a machine than a person which makes the instructions even more difficult to follow. Here is an example:

Webcams

These hacks allow access to any unprotected web cam camera connected to the network.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF024HYU36I&feature=related[/youtube]

This one is courtesy of systemeror11 and he has a selection of other video tutorials on YouTube. I have taken the liberty of collecting a selection of links and rather than trying to follow the tortuous instructions, just click one of these links to try some of them out.

intitle:axis intitle:”video server”
inurl:axis-cgi/mjpg (motion-JPEG)
inurl:view/indexFrame.shtml
intitle:”Live NetSnap Cam-Server feed”
allintitle:”Network Camera NetworkCamera”

inurl:view/view.shtml
liveapplet
inurl:ViewerFrame?Mode=
inurl:ViewerFrame?Mode=Refresh
intitle:liveapplet

inurl:axis-cgi/jpg
intitle:”live view” intitle:axis
intitle:liveapplet inurl:LvAppl
intitle:”EvoCam” inurl:”webcam.html”
inurl:view/index.shtml

intitle:”Live View / – AXIS”
intitle:”Live View / – AXIS 206M”
intitle:”Live View / – AXIS 206W”
intitle:”Live View / – AXIS 210?
inurl:indexFrame.shtml Axis

inurl:”MultiCameraFrame?Mode=Motion”
intitle:start inurl:cgistart
intitle:”WJ-NT104 Main Page”
intext:”MOBOTIX M1? intext:”Open Menu”
intext:”MOBOTIX M10? intext:”Open Menu”

intext:”MOBOTIX D10? intext:”Open Menu”
intitle:snc-z20 inurl:home/
intitle:snc-cs3 inurl:home/
intitle:snc-rz30 inurl:home/
intitle:”sony network camera snc-p1?

intitle:”sony network camera snc-m1?
site:.viewnetcam.com -www.viewnetcam.com
intitle:”Toshiba Network Camera” user login
intitle:”netcam live image”
intitle:”i-Catcher Console – Web Monitor”

Although, if you try too many of these in a single session, Google will cut you off and show you this message:

Who says censorship is dead?

Passwords

There are many hacks that will also provide improperly protected information such as plain text passwords in Frontpage.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhOy7dUEJA0&feature=user[/youtube]

Search: “# -FrontPage-” inurl:service.pwd

There is also an interesting hacking tool that allows these king of searches without having to learn strings of parameters such as these. It’s called, appropriately enough, “Google Hacks,” and is available for download here. Google Hacks is a compilation of carefully crafted Google searches that expose novel functionality from Google’s search and map services. For example, you can use it to view a timeline of your search results, view a map, search for music, search for books, and perform many other specific kinds of searches. You can also use this program to use google as a proxy.

If you are worried that your own system may be vulnerable to these or other hacks, Sourceforge has some good advice on testing your vulnerability and protecting your self here.

There are also a range of books available from Amazon, some of which are actually readable. There is a selection at the bottom.

Happy Hacking!

Here is the list of books mentioned above:

I covered google docs in this post, since then I have been keeping an eye out for another application that has as much to offer someone wishing to bring more of their work online. The good news is that I think I found one, the bad news, with so much of my stuff invested into google docs I am not sure that Zoho provides enough reason for me to switch. However for those of you who are about to make the jump from desktop applications to online document use, Zoho may be your answer.

While both google and Zoho offer very similar services there are some that only Zoho offers and others that only google offers. Both offer the following: Word Processor, spreadsheet, slideshow, web clippings, email, chat, wiki (google uses Jot), and web conferencing. What only google has: Web site hosting and feed reader. What only Zoho has: Database application, Online database, project management and customer relationship manger. I think the main difference between the two is that Zoho appears to be more business oriented while google remains strongly consumer driven.

While time will only tell if Zoho will be competitive against the juggernaut that is google, however if you are someone looking for a new place to store your work online, Zoho is worth the time it takes to explore it a little. I like Zoho a lot and if in the future I find that google does not meet all my needs I will definantly give them a shot. You can check out Zoho here, registration and use is free unless you opt for their Zoho business which runs $40 per user per year.

To be honest, I never really thought I would have to deal with slide presentations anymore once I got out of middle school. But in almost every class since, I have been expected to either create one or sit through one. But it’s no wonder why, as slide presentations are still one of the easiest, most efficient ways of presenting information to a group of people. Until you come face to face with the problem of your presentation not opening once you’re in front of that group of people.
That’s where web-based presentation applications such as Google Presentation come in handy. Create, edit, and open your presentation from any computer that’s connected to the internet. Google Docs’ presentation application has all the tools and options necessary to quickly create an attractive presentation. While it’s definitely not the way to go to create something fancy, the look of the presentation can be customized enough to serve the basic needs of most people.

I like it because of the fact that it is so simple. I don’t like putting effort into creating the slideshows for oral presentations and, with Google Docs, I don’t have to. After the presentation is done it can be stored with other Google documents, shared with others, or downloaded. And since Google Docs went mobile, your presentations can be as well!

Regardless of whether you need presentation creating software or not, Google Presentation is bound to be a helpful web application, especially if you already have a Google account. Get started with Google Docs at docs.google.com.

I reviewed Google docs about three weeks ago when the tech brief first opened, at the time I really didn’t think I would have a reason to look back at this neat little application brought to us by Google. It is now very apparent that I was wrong, Google has just released a new option to the popular Google docs, Google docs mobile. Now not only can you create spread sheets, word documents and other such things with your team or friends on the internet you can now have it available from your hand held computer device as well.

I suppose I may be kind of weird, but this little addition to the already awesome Google docs family really makes me happy. Now if for some reason I can’t be at my computer, I can still be in touch with the various documents that I have stored on Google docs with Google docs mobile. While the mobile version is somewhat slimed down you can still access everything you could while online. It does take some getting used to as far as learning to navigate without a mouse, but it is a small price to pay for being able to take this handy little application anywhere you can use your hand held device.

While I am sure that there are some issues with this new application somewhere I am as yet unable to find any, however if you do find some please let me know via comment or email.

Whether you have a team project at work that requires several people in different locations to work together, or you are a student with a team assignment for homework, there is now an improved way to combine forces. No longer are we forced to deal with the cumbersome mode of email. Now there is a new application that is sure to bring a sigh of relief to anyone who has ever had to work with other people across the vast distances of the internet. This application is called google docs, and is brought to us by the same people who have been engaged in creating user friendly, consumer driven products for years.

At its heart, google docs works as a multi user document system that allows anyone with access to change and save the document as needed. This application also allows for the collaboration, sharing and editing of team documents that have long been in the domain of long and often exasperating email chains. The application is simple to access and requires little of your computers resources to run effectively, simply sign in to your google account and the power of this application is ready to be harnessed.

At first glance this web based application seems rather simple in design and approach. However once you begin to use google docs it becomes readily apparent that you now have at your fingertips a tool that has long been long lacking in our lives. From its intuitive and familiar interface, to the ability to design documents on your own computer and then upload them for the perusal and use of other people, the applications of this program are nothing short of amazing.