Collect F5 DNS logs

Supported in:

This document explains how to ingest F5 DNS logs to Google Security Operations using Bindplane. The parser extracts fields from F5 DNS syslog messages using grok patterns based on the application field, then maps them to the Unified Data Model (UDM). It handles various F5 applications like gtmd, mcpd, big3d, and others, parsing specific fields and setting the appropriate UDM event type, severity, and descriptions based on the log level and application.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following prerequisites:

  • A Google SecOps instance
  • A Windows 2016 or later, or a Linux host with systemd
  • If running behind a proxy, firewall ports are open
  • Privileged access to F5 BIG-IP

Get Google SecOps ingestion authentication file

  1. Sign in to the Google SecOps console.
  2. Go to SIEM Settings > Collection Agents.
  3. Download the Ingestion Authentication File. Save the file securely on the system where Bindplane will be installed.

Get Google SecOps customer ID

  1. Sign in to the Google SecOps console.
  2. Go to SIEM Settings > Profile.
  3. Copy and save the Customer ID from the Organization Details section.

Install the Bindplane agent

Install the Bindplane agent on your Windows or Linux operating system according to the following instructions.

Windows installation

  1. Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.

  2. Run the following command:

    msiexec /i "https://github.com/observIQ/bindplane-agent/releases/latest/download/observiq-otel-collector.msi" /quiet

Linux installation

  1. Open a terminal with root or sudo privileges.

  2. Run the following command:

    sudo sh -c "$(curl -fsSlL https://github.com/observiq/bindplane-agent/releases/latest/download/install_unix.sh)" install_unix.sh

Additional installation resources

For additional installation options, consult the installation guide.

Configure the Bindplane agent to ingest Syslog and send to Google SecOps

  1. Access the configuration file:
    • Locate the config.yaml file. Typically, it's in the /etc/bindplane-agent/ directory on Linux or in the installation directory on Windows.
    • Open the file using a text editor (for example, nano, vi, or Notepad).

  2. Edit the config.yaml file as follows:

    receivers:
    udplog:
        # Replace the port and IP address as required
        listen_address: "0.0.0.0:514"

exporters:
    chronicle/chronicle_w_labels:
        compression: gzip
        # Adjust the path to the credentials file you downloaded in Step 1
        creds_file_path: '/path/to/ingestion-authentication-file.json'
        # Replace with your actual customer ID from Step 2
        customer_id: <customer_id>
        endpoint: malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
        # Add optional ingestion labels for better organization
        log_type: 'F5_DNS'
        raw_log_field: body
        ingestion_labels:

service:
    pipelines:
        logs/source0__chronicle_w_labels-0:
            receivers:
                - udplog
            exporters:
                - chronicle/chronicle_w_labels
    • Replace the port and IP address as required in your infrastructure.
    • Replace <customer_id> with the actual customer ID.
    • Update /path/to/ingestion-authentication-file.json to the path where the authentication file was saved in the Get Google SecOps ingestion authentication file section.

Restart the Bindplane agent to apply the changes

  • To restart the Bindplane agent in Linux, run the following command:

    sudo systemctl restart bindplane-agent

  • To restart the Bindplane agent in Windows, you can either use the Services console or enter the following command:

    net stop BindPlaneAgent && net start BindPlaneAgent

Configure a pool of remote logging servers

  1. Sign in to the F5 BIG-IP web UI.
  2. On the Main tab, go to DNS > Delivery > Load Balancing > Pools or Local Traffic > Pools.
  3. Click Create.
  4. Provide the following configuration details:
    • Name: Enter a unique name for the pool.
    • Using New Members setting:
      • Enter the Bindplane agent IP address in the Address field.
      • Enter the Bindplane agent port number in the Service Port field.
  5. Click Add > Finished.

Configure the remote log destination

  1. On the Main tab, go to System > Logs > Configuration > Log Destinations.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Provide the following configuration details:
    • Name: Enter a unique name for this destination.
    • Type: Select Remote High-Speed Log.
    • Pool Name: Select the pool of remote log servers to which you want the BIG-IP system to send log messages.
    • Protocol: Select the protocol used.
  4. Click Finished.

Creating a formatted remote log destination

  1. On the Main tab, go to System > Logs > Configuration > Log Destinations.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Provide the following configuration details:
    • Name: Enter a unique name for this destination.
    • Type: Select Remote Syslog.
    • Format: Select the log format.
    • Forward To: Select High-Speed Log Destination > the destination that points to the pool of remote Syslog servers.
  4. Click Finished.

Configure Log Publisher

  1. On the Main tab, go to System > Logs > Configuration > Log Publishers.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Provide the following configuration details:
    • Name: Enter a unique name for this publisher.
    • Destinations: Select the newly-created destination for Remote Syslog from the Available list, and then click keyboard_double_arrow_left Move to move the destination to the Selected list.
  4. Click Finished.

Configure a custom DNS logging profile

  1. On the Main tab, go to DNS > Delivery > Profiles > Other > DNS Logging or Local Traffic > Profiles > Other > DNS Logging.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Provide the following configuration details:
    • Name: Enter a unique name for this profile.
    • Log Publisher: Select the newly-created destination to which the system sends DNS log entries.
    • Log Queries: Select the Enabled checkbox.
    • Log Responses: Select the Enabled checkbox.
    • Include Query ID: Select the Enabled checkbox.
  4. Click Finished.

Add the DNS profile to the DNS Listener

  1. On the Main tab, go to DNS > Delivery > Listeners > select DNS listener.
  2. From the DNS profile in the Service section, select the DNS profile that you configured previously.
  3. Click Update.

UDM mapping table

Log Field UDM Mapping Logic
application principal.application Directly mapped from the application field.
cipher_name network.tls.cipher Directly mapped from the cipher_name field.
command_line principal.process.command_line Directly mapped from the command_line field.
desc security_result.description Directly mapped from the desc field.
desc_icrd security_result.description Directly mapped from the desc_icrd field.
dest_ip target.ip Directly mapped from the dest_ip field.
dest_port target.port Directly mapped from the dest_port field.
file_path principal.process.file.full_path Directly mapped from the file_path field. Set to true if level is "alert", otherwise not present. Set to true if level is "alert", otherwise not present.
msg3 security_result.description Directly mapped from the msg3 field when application is "run-parts".
metadata.event_type Set to GENERIC_EVENT if event_type is empty, otherwise mapped from event_type. Hardcoded to "DNS". Hardcoded to "F5".
principal_hostname principal.hostname Directly mapped from the principal_hostname field.
proc_id principal.process.pid Directly mapped from the proc_id field.
received_bytes network.received_bytes Directly mapped from the received_bytes field.
resource_id target.resource.id Directly mapped from the resource_id field.
resource_parent principal.resource.parent Directly mapped from the resource_parent field.
response_code network.http.response_code Directly mapped from the response_code field. Determined based on the level field.
src_ip principal.ip Directly mapped from the src_ip field.
src_port principal.port Directly mapped from the src_port field.
tls_version network.tls.version Directly mapped from the tls_version field.
userName principal.user.userid Directly mapped from the userName field.
when event.timestamp Calculated from datetime1 and timezone or datetime and timezone.

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