The Detectify team successfully executed an ethical hacking challenge by targeting Google's search engine and exploiting a vulnerability in the Google Toolbar button gallery. They discovered that the gallery allowed users to upload XML files, which led them to conduct an XML External Entity (XXE) attack by embedding malicious XML entities. This attack exposed sensitive files such as /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts on Google's production servers, demonstrating the potential for more severe exploits like Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF). Upon reporting the vulnerability to Google, the team was rewarded with $10,000, which funded a celebratory road trip through Europe. The incident underscores the importance of securing XML parsers to prevent such vulnerabilities, highlighting the value of services like Detectify's automated security monitoring, which tests for numerous vulnerabilities.