Collect MongoDB logs

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This document explains how to ingest MongoDB logs to Google Security Operations using Bindplane.

MongoDB is a NoSQL document database that generates audit logs for CRUD operations, authentication events, database commands, and replica set operations. MongoDB writes structured JSON log files locally, which the Bindplane agent can collect directly from the file system.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following prerequisites:

  • A Google SecOps instance
  • Windows Server 2016 or later, or Linux host with systemd
  • Network connectivity between the Bindplane agent and the MongoDB server
  • If running behind a proxy, ensure firewall ports are open per the Bindplane agent requirements
  • Privileged access to the MongoDB server (root or database administrator role)
  • MongoDB Enterprise or MongoDB Community Edition with audit logging enabled

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 IDfrom the Organization Detailssection.

Install the Bindplane agent

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

Windows installation

  1. Open Command Promptor PowerShellas an administrator.
  2. Run the following command:

      msiexec 
      
     / 
     i 
      
     "https://github.com/observIQ/bindplane-agent/releases/latest/download/observiq-otel-collector.msi" 
      
     / 
     quiet 
     
    
  3. Wait for the installation to complete.

  4. Verify the installation by running:

     sc query observiq-otel-collector 
    

The service should show as RUNNING.

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 
    
  3. Wait for the installation to complete.

  4. Verify the installation by running:

     sudo  
    systemctl  
    status  
    observiq-otel-collector 
    

The service should show as active (running).

Additional installation resources

For additional installation options and troubleshooting, see Bindplane agent installation guide .

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

Locate the configuration file

  • Linux:

     sudo  
    systemctl  
    status  
    observiq-otel-collector 
    
  • Windows:

     notepad "C:\Program Files\observIQ OpenTelemetry Collector\config.yaml" 
    

Edit the configuration file

  • Replace the entire contents of config.yaml with the following configuration:

      receivers 
     : 
      
     filelog 
     : 
      
     include 
     : 
      
     - 
      
     /var/log/mongodb/auditLog.json 
      
     start_at 
     : 
      
     beginning 
     exporters 
     : 
      
     chronicle/mongodb 
     : 
      
     compression 
     : 
      
     gzip 
      
     creds_file_path 
     : 
      
     '/etc/bindplane-agent/ingestion-auth.json' 
      
     customer_id 
     : 
      
     '<customer_id>' 
      
     endpoint 
     : 
      
     malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com 
      
     log_type 
     : 
      
     MONGO_DB 
      
     raw_log_field 
     : 
      
     body 
      
     ingestion_labels 
     : 
      
     env 
     : 
      
     production 
     service 
     : 
      
     pipelines 
     : 
      
     logs/mongodb_to_chronicle 
     : 
      
     receivers 
     : 
      
     - 
      
     filelog 
      
     exporters 
     : 
      
     - 
      
     chronicle/mongodb 
     
    

Configuration parameters

Replace the following placeholders:

  • Receiver configuration:

    • filelog : The receiver type for collecting log files from disk
    • include : List of file paths to monitor:
      • Linux: /var/log/mongodb/auditLog.json (default MongoDB audit log path)
      • Windows: C:\data\log\auditLog.json or your configured audit log path
    • start_at : Set to beginning to read existing logs or end to only read new entries
  • Exporter configuration:

    • mongodb : Descriptive name for the exporter
    • creds_file_path : Full path to ingestion authentication file:
      • Linux: /etc/bindplane-agent/ingestion-auth.json
      • Windows: C:\Program Files\observIQ OpenTelemetry Collector\ingestion-auth.json
    • <customer_id> : Customer ID from the previous step
    • endpoint : Regional endpoint URL:
      • US: malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
      • Europe: europe-malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
      • Asia: asia-southeast1-malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
      • See Regional Endpoints for complete list
    • MONGO_DB : Log type exactly as it appears in Chronicle
    • ingestion_labels : Optional labels in YAML format (for example, env: production )
  • Pipeline configuration:

    • mongodb_to_chronicle : Descriptive name for the pipeline

Save the configuration file

  • After editing, save the file:
    • Linux: Press Ctrl+O , then Enter , then Ctrl+X
    • Windows: Click File > Save

Restart the Bindplane agent to apply the changes

To restart the Bindplane agent in Linux:

  1. Run the following command:

     sudo  
    systemctl  
    restart  
    observiq-otel-collector 
    
  2. Verify the service is running:

     sudo  
    systemctl  
    status  
    observiq-otel-collector 
    
  3. Check logs for errors:

     sudo  
    journalctl  
    -u  
    observiq-otel-collector  
    -f 
    

To restart the Bindplane agent in Windows:

  1. Choose one of the following options:

    • Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator:
     net stop observiq-otel-collector && net start observiq-otel-collector 
    
    • Services console:
      1. Press Win+R , type services.msc , and press Enter.
      2. Locate observIQ OpenTelemetry Collector.
      3. Right-click and select Restart.
  2. Verify the service is running:

     sc query observiq-otel-collector 
    
  3. Check logs for errors:

      type 
      
     "C:\Program Files\observIQ OpenTelemetry Collector\log\collector.log" 
     
    

Configure MongoDB to generate audit logs

  1. Sign in to the MongoDBserver with administrator or root privileges.
  2. Open the MongoDB configuration file ( mongod.conf ). Default locations:
    • Linux: /etc/mongod.conf
    • Windows: C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\bin\mongod.cfg
  3. Verify that audit logging is enabled. In the mongod.conf file, confirm the following settings:

    • auditLog.destination is set to file .
    • auditLog.format is set to JSON .
    • Note the auditLog.path (for example, /var/log/mongodb/auditLog.json ).

    • If audit logging is not enabled, add the following to mongod.conf :

        auditLog 
       : 
        
       destination 
       : 
        
       file 
        
       format 
       : 
        
       JSON 
        
       path 
       : 
        
       /var/log/mongodb/auditLog.json 
       
      
  4. Restart the MongoDB service to apply the configuration:

    • Linux:

       sudo  
      systemctl  
      restart  
      mongod 
      
    • Windows:

       net stop MongoDB && net start MongoDB 
      
  5. Verify that the audit log file is being written at the configured path (for example, /var/log/mongodb/auditLog.json ).

  6. Ensure the Bindplane agent include path in config.yaml matches the auditLog.path configured in mongod.conf .

UDM mapping table

Log Field UDM Mapping Logic
ctx, connectionId, connectionCount, attr.protocol, attr.storage.data.bytesRead, attr.storage.data.timeReadingMicros, attr.command.$readPreference.mode, attr.queryHash, param_old, cluster_node, param.indexName, temp_db_value
additional.fields Merged from various fields based on conditions
db_mechanism, param.mechanism
extensions.auth.auth_details Value from db_mechanism if not empty, else param.mechanism
extensions.auth.mechanism Set to "MECHANISM_OTHER"
extensions.auth.type Set to "AUTHTYPE_UNSPECIFIED"
lb_hostname, src_hostname
intermediary.hostname Value from lb_hostname if not empty, else src_hostname
lb_port, src_port
intermediary.port Value from lb_port if not empty, else src_port (converted to integer)
msg
metadata.description Value copied directly
metadata.event_type Set based on msg_atype, category, param_passwordChanged, param_command, remote_ip conditions
msg_atype, category
metadata.product_event_type Value from msg_atype if not empty, else category
id, type, traceId
metadata.product_log_id Value from id if not empty, else uuid.$binary if type == "04", else traceId
metadata.product_name Set to "MongoDB Enterprise"
metadata.vendor_name Set to "MongoDB"
application_name
principal.application Value copied directly
accessLog.hostname
principal.asset.hostname Value copied directly
remote_ip
principal.asset.ip Value copied directly
software_label
principal.asset.software Merged from software_label
accessLog.hostname
principal.hostname Value copied directly
remote_ip
principal.ip Value copied directly
os_type
principal.platform Set to WINDOWS if matches Windows; MAC if matches osx or mac; LINUX if matches Linux
os_name, param.clientMetadata.os.name
principal.platform_patch_level Value from os_name if not empty, else param.clientMetadata.os.name
os_version, param.clientMetadata.os.version
principal.platform_version Value from os_version if not empty, else param.clientMetadata.os.version
remote_port
principal.port Converted to integer
principal_userid
principal.user.userid Value copied directly
sr_action
security_result.action Value copied directly
param.reason, param.indexBuildState
security_result.description Value from param.reason if msg_atype == "logout"; from param.indexBuildState if msg_atype in ["createIndex", "dropIndex"]
severity, level
security_result.severity Set to INFORMATIONAL if severity in ["i", "I"] or level in ["INFO", "DEBUG"]; ERROR if severity in ["e", "E"] or level == "ERROR"; MEDIUM if severity in ["w", "W", "f", "F"]
msg_result, attr.error, attr.planSummary, reason, attr.msg_data
security_result.summary Set based on msg_result, attr.error, attr.planSummary, reason, attr.msg_data conditions
db_value
target.administrative_domain Value copied directly
application_name
target.application Value copied directly
local_ip
target.asset.ip Value copied directly
host_group
target.group.group_display_name Value copied directly
local_ip
target.ip Value copied directly
local_port
target.port Converted to integer
old_name_label, cluster_node_label, mode_label, query_hash_label, bytes_read_label, time_reading_micro_label, environment_label, area_label
target.resource.attribute.labels Merged from various label fields
param_ns, db_value, param_new, param.args.find
target.resource.name Set based on msg_atype and param_command conditions
target.resource.resource_subtype Set to "MongoDB Database" for database/user events; "MongoDB Collection" for collection events; "MongoDB Index" for index events
target.resource.resource_type Set to "DATABASE" for database/user events; "TABLE" for collection/index events
db_user, param.user
target.user.userid Value from db_user if not empty, else param.user

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