Collect CyberArk PAM logs

Supported in:

Google secops SIEM

This document explains how to ingest CyberArk PAM (Privileged Access Manager) logs to Google Security Operations using Bindplane. CyberArk PAM secures, manages, and monitors privileged credentials across on-premises and cloud environments. It provides a Digital Vault for storing privileged account credentials, session isolation and monitoring, automated password rotation, and detailed audit logs for all privileged access activities.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following prerequisites:

A Google SecOps instance.
A Windows 2016 or later or Linux host with systemd.
If running behind a proxy, ensure firewall ports are open per the Bindplane agent requirements.
Privileged access to the CyberArk PAM Vault and PVWA (Password Vault Web Access) with administrative permissions.

Get Google SecOps ingestion authentication file

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

Get Google SecOps customer ID

Sign in to the Google SecOps console.
Go to SIEM Settings > Profile.
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

Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.

Run the following command:

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

Linux installation

Open a terminal with root or sudo privileges.

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 this installation guide.

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

Access the Configuration File:
- Locate the config.yaml file. Typically, it's in the /opt/observiq-otel-collector/ directory on Linux or in the installation directory on Windows.
- Open the file using a text editor (for example, nano, vi, or Notepad).

Edit the config.yaml file as follows:

receivers:
    tcplog:
        # 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: <PLACEHOLDER_CUSTOMER_ID>
        endpoint: malachiteingestion-pa.googleapis.com
        # Add optional ingestion labels for better organization
        log_type: 'CYBERARK_PAM'
        raw_log_field: body
        ingestion_labels:

service:
    pipelines:
        logs/source0__chronicle_w_labels-0:
            receivers:
                - tcplog
            exporters:
                - chronicle/chronicle_w_labels

Replace the port and IP address as required in your infrastructure.
Replace <PLACEHOLDER_CUSTOMER_ID> with the actual Customer ID.
Update /path/to/ingestion-authentication-file.json to the file 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 observiq-otel-collector
```
To restart the Bindplane agent in Windows, you can either use the Services console or enter the following command:
```
net stop observiq-otel-collector && net start observiq-otel-collector
```

Configure CyberArk PAM syslog forwarding

CyberArk PAM sends audit data to a SIEM via the Vault's syslog integration configured in the dbparm.ini file.

Configure the Vault server

Sign in to the CyberArk Vault server with administrative privileges.
Navigate to the Vault installation directory and open the dbparm.ini file:
- Default path (Windows): C:\Program Files (x86)\PrivateArk\Server\Conf\dbparm.ini
- Default path (Linux): /opt/CARKaim/vault/Conf/dbparm.ini
Note: The actual path may differ depending on your CyberArk PAM installation. Verify the path with your CyberArk administrator.

Add or modify the following syslog configuration parameters in dbparm.ini:

SyslogTranslatorFile=Syslog\CASP.xsl
SyslogServerIP=<BINDPLANE_AGENT_IP>
SyslogServerPort=514
SyslogServerProtocol=TCP
SyslogMessageCodeFilter=0-999
UseSyslogFormat=Yes
SyslogSendAuditAsJSON=Yes

Replace <BINDPLANE_AGENT_IP> with the IP address of the Bindplane agent host (for example, 192.168.1.100).

Configuration parameter reference

Parameter	Value	Description
`SyslogTranslatorFile`	`Syslog\CASP.xsl`	XSL translation file for syslog format
`SyslogServerIP`	Bindplane agent IP	IP address of the syslog receiver
`SyslogServerPort`	`514`	Port number for syslog (match Bindplane config)
`SyslogServerProtocol`	`TCP`	Transport protocol (TCP recommended for reliable delivery)
`SyslogMessageCodeFilter`	`0-999`	Range of message codes to forward (0-999 = all)
`UseSyslogFormat`	`Yes`	Send logs in standard syslog format
`SyslogSendAuditAsJSON`	`Yes`	Send audit records in JSON format for better parsing

Restart the Vault service

After modifying dbparm.ini, restart the CyberArk Vault service:
- Windows: Open Services console, find CyberArk Vault, right-click, and select Restart.
- Linux: Run the following command:
```
sudo systemctl restart vault
```
Verify logs are being received by checking the Bindplane agent logs:
```
sudo journalctl -u observiq-otel-collector -f
```

Configure PVWA audit logging (optional)

To forward PVWA (Password Vault Web Access) activity logs:

Sign in to the PVWA web interface as an administrator.
Go to Administration > Options > Audit.
Verify that Send syslog messages is enabled.
The PVWA uses the Vault's syslog configuration from dbparm.ini.

For more information about CyberArk PAM syslog integration, see the CyberArk PAM documentation.

UDM mapping table

Log Field	UDM Mapping	Logic
`Vendor`	`metadata.vendor_name`	Set to "CyberArk".
`Product`	`metadata.product_name`	Set to "PAM" or "Vault".
`Version`	`metadata.product_version`	The CyberArk PAM version.
`MessageID`	`metadata.product_event_type`	The audit action code.
`Message`	`metadata.description`	The human-readable audit message.
`Severity`	`security_result.severity`	Mapped from CyberArk severity level.
`Issuer`	`principal.user.userid`	The user who performed the action.
`Station`	`principal.ip`	The source IP address of the session.
`SourceUser`	`principal.user.userid`	The source user initiating the action.
`TargetUser`	`target.user.userid`	The target privileged account.
`SafeName`	`target.resource.name`	The CyberArk Safe containing the credential.
`AccountName`	`target.resource.attribute.labels`	The privileged account name.
`Address`	`target.hostname`	The target system hostname or address.
`PolicyID`	`security_result.rule_name`	The platform policy ID.
`Reason`	`security_result.description`	The reason provided for the action.
`RequestID`	`network.session_id`	The dual-control request ID.
`GatewayStation`	`intermediary.ip`	The PSM gateway IP address.
`Timestamp`	`metadata.event_timestamp`	The event timestamp.

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