Collect ZyXEL ZyWALL logs

This document explains how to ingest ZyXEL ZyWALL logs to Google Security Operations using the Bindplane agent.

ZyXEL ZyWALL is a UTM/firewall appliance that generates firewall, VPN, IDP, content filter, and system event logs. It provides unified threat management for on-premise network environments.

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 ZyXEL ZyWALL appliance
• If running behind a proxy, ensure firewall ports are open per the Bindplane agent requirements
• Administrative access to the ZyXEL ZyWALL appliance

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 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
   

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 Bindplane agent to ingest syslog and send to Google SecOps

Locate the configuration file

• Linux:

  sudo nano /etc/bindplane-agent/config.yaml
  

• 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:
      udplog:
          listen_address: "0.0.0.0:514"
  
  exporters:
      chronicle/zywall:
          compression: gzip
          creds_file_path: '/etc/bindplane-agent/ingestion-auth.json'
          customer_id: '<customer_id>'
          endpoint: malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
          log_type: ZYWALL
          raw_log_field: body
  
  service:
      pipelines:
          logs/zywall_to_chronicle:
              receivers:
                  - udplog
              exporters:
                  - chronicle/zywall
  

Configuration parameters

Replace the following placeholders:

• Receiver configuration:

  • listen_address: IP address and port to listen on:
    • 0.0.0.0 to listen on all interfaces (recommended)
    • Port 514 is the standard syslog port (requires root on Linux; use 1514 for non-root)

• Exporter configuration:

  • 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 copied from the Google SecOps console
  • 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

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, run the following command:

  sudo systemctl restart observiq-otel-collector
  

  1. Verify the service is running:

     sudo systemctl status observiq-otel-collector
     

  2. Check logs for errors:

     sudo journalctl -u observiq-otel-collector -f
     

• To restart the Bindplane agent in Windows, 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.

    4. Verify the service is running:

       sc query observiq-otel-collector
       

    5. Check logs for errors:

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

Configure ZyXEL ZyWALL syslog forwarding

1. Sign in to the ZyWALL web management interface by navigating to the appliance IP address in a web browser.
2. Go to Configuration > Log & Report > Log Settings.
3. In the Remote Server section, select an available profile (for example, Remote Server 1) and click Edit.
4. Configure the following settings:
   • Check Active to enable the remote syslog profile.
   • Log Format: Select VRPT/Syslog.
   • Server Address: Enter the IP address of the Bindplane agent host.
   • Server Port: Enter 514.
   • Log Facility: Select Local0 or your preferred facility.
5. In the Active Log section, select the log categories you want to forward:
   • System
   • Firewall
   • VPN
   • IDP (Intrusion Detection and Prevention)
   • Content Filter
   • Anti-Virus
   • Anti-Spam
6. Click OK to save the configuration.

7. Verify that the syslog server is receiving logs from the ZyWALL appliance.

UDM mapping table

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