Collect NetDocuments logs

Supported in:

Google secops SIEM

This document explains how to ingest NetDocuments logs to Google Security Operations using Google Cloud Storage V2.

NetDocuments is a cloud-based document management platform designed for legal and professional services organizations. It generates audit logs that track document access, modifications, sharing, and administrative activity through the NetDocuments REST API.

Before you begin

Make sure that you have the following prerequisites:

A Google SecOps instance
A GCP project with Cloud Storage API enabled
Permissions to create and manage GCS buckets
Permissions to manage IAM policies on GCS buckets
Permissions to create Cloud Run services, Pub/Sub topics, and Cloud Scheduler jobs
Privileged access to NetDocuments (Repository Admin or Organization Admin role)
A NetDocuments application registration with OAuth2 credentials (client ID, client secret, and refresh token)

Create Google Cloud Storage bucket

Go to the Google Cloud Console.
Select your project or create a new one.
In the navigation menu, go to Cloud Storage > Buckets.
Click Create bucket.

Provide the following configuration details:

Setting	Value
Name your bucket	Enter a globally unique name (for example, `netdocuments-audit-logs`)
Location type	Choose based on your needs (Region, Dual-region, Multi-region)
Location	Select the location (for example, `us-central1`)
Storage class	Standard (recommended for frequently accessed logs)
Access control	Uniform (recommended)
Protection tools	Optional: Enable object versioning or retention policy

Click Create.

Collect NetDocuments API credentials

Register an application

Sign in to the NetDocuments Developer Portal with an admin account.
Navigate to Applications and click Register Application.
Enter a name for the application (for example, Google Security Operations Integration).
Set the Application Type to Server (Confidential).
Note the following credentials:
- Client ID: The OAuth2 client identifier
- Client Secret: The OAuth2 client secret

Generate refresh token

Use the NetDocuments OAuth2 authorization flow to obtain a refresh token.
Authorize the application with the required scopes:
- read (read access to documents and audit logs)
- full (full access, if required by your organization)
Complete the OAuth2 authorization code flow and save the Refresh Token securely.

Note: The refresh token is long-lived and used by the Cloud Run function to obtain short-lived access tokens. Store it securely as an environment variable.

Determine API base URL

The NetDocuments API base URL depends on your data center region:

Region	API Base URL
US	`https://api.netdocuments.com/v2`
EU	`https://api.eu.netdocuments.com/v2`
AU	`https://api.au.netdocuments.com/v2`

Verify permissions

To verify the account has the required permissions:

Sign in to the NetDocuments admin portal.
Go to Repository Admin > Activity Logs.
If you can see the activity log section, you have the required permissions.
If you cannot see this option, contact your NetDocuments administrator to grant Repository Admin or Organization Admin access.

Create service account for Cloud Run function

The Cloud Run function needs a service account with permissions to write to GCS bucket and be invoked by Pub/Sub.

Create service account

In the GCP Console, go to IAM & Admin > Service Accounts.
Click Create Service Account.
Provide the following configuration details:
- Service account name: Enter netdocuments-logs-collector-sa
- Service account description: Enter Service account for Cloud Run function to collect NetDocuments logs
Click Create and Continue.
In the Grant this service account access to project section, add the following roles:
1. Click Select a role.
2. Search for and select Storage Object Admin.
3. Click + Add another role.
4. Search for and select Cloud Run Invoker.
5. Click + Add another role.
6. Search for and select Cloud Functions Invoker.
Click Continue.
Click Done.

These roles are required for:

Storage Object Admin: Write logs to GCS bucket and manage state files
Cloud Run Invoker: Allow Pub/Sub to invoke the function
Cloud Functions Invoker: Allow function invocation

Grant IAM permissions on GCS bucket

Grant the service account write permissions on the GCS bucket:

Go to Cloud Storage > Buckets.
Click on your bucket name (for example, netdocuments-audit-logs).
Go to the Permissions tab.
Click Grant access.
Provide the following configuration details:
- Add principals: Enter the service account email (for example, netdocuments-logs-collector-sa@PROJECT_ID.iam.gserviceaccount.com)
- Assign roles: Select Storage Object Admin
Click Save.

Create Pub/Sub topic

Create a Pub/Sub topic that Cloud Scheduler will publish to and the Cloud Run function will subscribe to.

In the GCP Console, go to Pub/Sub > Topics.
Click Create topic.
Provide the following configuration details:
- Topic ID: Enter netdocuments-logs-trigger
- Leave other settings as default
Click Create.

Create Cloud Run function to collect logs

The Cloud Run function will be triggered by Pub/Sub messages from Cloud Scheduler to fetch logs from the NetDocuments REST API and write them to GCS.

In the GCP Console, go to Cloud Run.
Click Create service.
Select Function (use an inline editor to create a function).
In the Configure section, provide the following configuration details:

Setting Value

Service name netdocuments-logs-collector

Region Select region matching your GCS bucket (for example, us-central1)

Runtime Select Python 3.12 or later
In the Trigger (optional) section:
1. Click + Add trigger.
2. Select Cloud Pub/Sub.
3. In Select a Cloud Pub/Sub topic, choose the topic netdocuments-logs-trigger.
4. Click Save.
In the Authentication section:
1. Select Require authentication.
2. Check Identity and Access Management (IAM).
Note: Pub/Sub will automatically handle authentication when invoking the function.
Scroll down and expand Containers, Networking, Security.
Go to the Security tab:
- Service account: Select the service account netdocuments-logs-collector-sa.

Setting	Value
Service name	`netdocuments-logs-collector`
Region	Select region matching your GCS bucket (for example, `us-central1`)
Runtime	Select Python 3.12 or later

Go to the Containers tab:

Click Variables & Secrets.
Click + Add variable for each environment variable:

Variable Name	Example Value	Description
`GCS_BUCKET`	`netdocuments-audit-logs`	GCS bucket name
`GCS_PREFIX`	`netdocuments`	Prefix for log files
`STATE_KEY`	`netdocuments/state.json`	State file path
`ND_API_BASE`	`https://api.netdocuments.com/v2`	NetDocuments API base URL
`ND_CLIENT_ID`	`your-client-id`	OAuth2 client ID
`ND_CLIENT_SECRET`	`your-client-secret`	OAuth2 client secret
`ND_REFRESH_TOKEN`	`your-refresh-token`	OAuth2 refresh token
`MAX_RECORDS`	`5000`	Max records per run
`PAGE_SIZE`	`1000`	Records per page
`LOOKBACK_HOURS`	`24`	Initial lookback period

In the Variables & Secrets section, scroll down to Requests:
- Request timeout: Enter 600 seconds (10 minutes)
Go to the Settings tab:
- In the Resources section:
  - Memory: Select 512 MiB or higher
  - CPU: Select 1
In the Revision scaling section:
- Minimum number of instances: Enter 0
- Maximum number of instances: Enter 100 (or adjust based on expected load)
Click Create.
Wait for the service to be created (1-2 minutes).
After the service is created, the inline code editor will open automatically.

Add function code

Enter main in the Entry point field.

In the inline code editor, create two files:

main.py:

import functions_framework
from google.cloud import storage
import json
import os
import urllib3
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
import time
import base64

# Initialize HTTP client with timeouts
http = urllib3.PoolManager(
  timeout=urllib3.Timeout(connect=5.0, read=30.0),
  retries=False,
)

# Initialize Storage client
storage_client = storage.Client()

# Environment variables
GCS_BUCKET = os.environ.get('GCS_BUCKET')
GCS_PREFIX = os.environ.get('GCS_PREFIX', 'netdocuments')
STATE_KEY = os.environ.get('STATE_KEY', 'netdocuments/state.json')
ND_API_BASE = os.environ.get('ND_API_BASE', 'https://api.netdocuments.com/v2')
ND_CLIENT_ID = os.environ.get('ND_CLIENT_ID')
ND_CLIENT_SECRET = os.environ.get('ND_CLIENT_SECRET')
ND_REFRESH_TOKEN = os.environ.get('ND_REFRESH_TOKEN')
MAX_RECORDS = int(os.environ.get('MAX_RECORDS', '5000'))
PAGE_SIZE = int(os.environ.get('PAGE_SIZE', '1000'))
LOOKBACK_HOURS = int(os.environ.get('LOOKBACK_HOURS', '24'))

def to_unix_millis(dt: datetime) -> int:
  """Convert datetime to Unix epoch milliseconds."""
  if dt.tzinfo is None:
    dt = dt.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
  dt = dt.astimezone(timezone.utc)
  return int(dt.timestamp() * 1000)

def parse_datetime(value: str) -> datetime:
  """Parse ISO datetime string to datetime object."""
  if value.endswith("Z"):
    value = value[:-1] + "+00:00"
  return datetime.fromisoformat(value)

def get_access_token():
  """
  Obtain an OAuth2 access token using the refresh token.
  """
  token_url = "https://api.netdocuments.com/v1/OAuth"

  # Build Basic auth header
  credentials = base64.b64encode(
    f"{ND_CLIENT_ID}:{ND_CLIENT_SECRET}".encode('utf-8')
  ).decode('utf-8')

  headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Basic {credentials}',
    'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
    'Accept': 'application/json'
  }

  body = f"grant_type=refresh_token&refresh_token={ND_REFRESH_TOKEN}"

  backoff = 1.0
  for attempt in range(3):
    response = http.request('POST', token_url, body=body, headers=headers)

    if response.status == 429:
      retry_after = int(response.headers.get('Retry-After', str(int(backoff))))
      print(f"Rate limited (429) on token request. Retrying after {retry_after}s...")
      time.sleep(retry_after)
      backoff = min(backoff * 2, 30.0)
      continue

    if response.status != 200:
      raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to get access token: {response.status} - {response.data.decode('utf-8')}")

    data = json.loads(response.data.decode('utf-8'))
    return data['access_token']

  raise RuntimeError("Failed to get access token after 3 retries")

@functions_framework.cloud_event
def main(cloud_event):
  """
  Cloud Run function triggered by Pub/Sub to fetch NetDocuments
  audit logs and write to GCS.

  Args:
    cloud_event: CloudEvent object containing Pub/Sub message
  """

  if not all([GCS_BUCKET, ND_CLIENT_ID, ND_CLIENT_SECRET, ND_REFRESH_TOKEN]):
    print('Error: Missing required environment variables')
    return

  try:
    bucket = storage_client.bucket(GCS_BUCKET)

    # Load state
    state = load_state(bucket, STATE_KEY)

    # Determine time window
    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
    last_time = None

    if isinstance(state, dict) and state.get("last_event_time"):
      try:
        last_time = parse_datetime(state["last_event_time"])
        # Overlap by 2 minutes to catch any delayed events
        last_time = last_time - timedelta(minutes=2)
      except Exception as e:
        print(f"Warning: Could not parse last_event_time: {e}")

    if last_time is None:
      last_time = now - timedelta(hours=LOOKBACK_HOURS)

    print(f"Fetching logs from {last_time.isoformat()} to {now.isoformat()}")

    # Get access token
    token = get_access_token()

    # Fetch logs
    records, newest_event_time = fetch_logs(
      token=token,
      start_time=last_time,
      end_time=now,
      page_size=PAGE_SIZE,
      max_records=MAX_RECORDS,
    )

    if not records:
      print("No new log records found.")
      save_state(bucket, STATE_KEY, now.isoformat())
      return

    # Write to GCS as NDJSON
    timestamp = now.strftime('%Y%m%d_%H%M%S')
    object_key = f"{GCS_PREFIX}/logs_{timestamp}.ndjson"
    blob = bucket.blob(object_key)

    ndjson = '\n'.join([json.dumps(record, ensure_ascii=False) for record in records]) + '\n'
    blob.upload_from_string(ndjson, content_type='application/x-ndjson')

    print(f"Wrote {len(records)} records to gs://{GCS_BUCKET}/{object_key}")

    # Update state with newest event time
    if newest_event_time:
      save_state(bucket, STATE_KEY, newest_event_time)
    else:
      save_state(bucket, STATE_KEY, now.isoformat())

    print(f"Successfully processed {len(records)} records")

  except Exception as e:
    print(f'Error processing logs: {str(e)}')
    raise

def load_state(bucket, key):
  """Load state from GCS."""
  try:
    blob = bucket.blob(key)
    if blob.exists():
      state_data = blob.download_as_text()
      return json.loads(state_data)
  except Exception as e:
    print(f"Warning: Could not load state: {e}")

  return {}

def save_state(bucket, key, last_event_time_iso: str):
  """Save the last event timestamp to GCS state file."""
  try:
    state = {'last_event_time': last_event_time_iso}
    blob = bucket.blob(key)
    blob.upload_from_string(
      json.dumps(state, indent=2),
      content_type='application/json'
    )
    print(f"Saved state: last_event_time={last_event_time_iso}")
  except Exception as e:
    print(f"Warning: Could not save state: {e}")

def fetch_logs(token: str, start_time: datetime, end_time: datetime, page_size: int, max_records: int):
  """
  Fetch audit logs from NetDocuments REST API
  with pagination and rate limiting.

  Args:
    token: OAuth2 access token
    start_time: Start time for log query
    end_time: End time for log query
    page_size: Number of records per page
    max_records: Maximum total records to fetch

  Returns:
    Tuple of (records list, newest_event_time ISO string)
  """
  api_base = ND_API_BASE.rstrip('/')
  endpoint = f"{api_base}/AuditLog/search"

  headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',
    'Accept': 'application/json',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'User-Agent': 'GoogleSecOps-NetDocumentsCollector/1.0'
  }

  records = []
  newest_time = None
  page_num = 0
  backoff = 1.0
  offset = 0

  while True:
    page_num += 1

    if len(records) >= max_records:
      print(f"Reached max_records limit ({max_records})")
      break

    # Build request body
    body = {
      'startDate': start_time.strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ'),
      'endDate': end_time.strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ'),
      '$top': min(page_size, max_records - len(records)),
      '$skip': offset
    }

    try:
      response = http.request(
        'POST',
        endpoint,
        body=json.dumps(body),
        headers=headers
      )

      # Handle rate limiting with exponential backoff
      if response.status == 429:
        retry_after = int(response.headers.get('Retry-After', str(int(backoff))))
        print(f"Rate limited (429). Retrying after {retry_after}s...")
        time.sleep(retry_after)
        backoff = min(backoff * 2, 30.0)
        continue

      backoff = 1.0

      if response.status != 200:
        print(f"HTTP Error: {response.status}")
        response_text = response.data.decode('utf-8')
        print(f"Response body: {response_text}")
        return [], None

      data = json.loads(response.data.decode('utf-8'))

      page_results = data.get('results', data.get('value', []))

      if not page_results:
        print(f"No more results (empty page)")
        break

      print(f"Page {page_num}: Retrieved {len(page_results)} events")
      records.extend(page_results)

      # Track newest event time
      for event in page_results:
        try:
          event_ts = event.get('date') or event.get('timestamp') or event.get('created')
          if event_ts:
            event_time = str(event_ts)
            if newest_time is None or parse_datetime(event_time) > parse_datetime(newest_time):
              newest_time = event_time
        except Exception as e:
          print(f"Warning: Could not parse event time: {e}")

      # Check for more results
      offset += len(page_results)
      if len(page_results) < page_size:
        print("No more pages (partial page received)")
        break

    except Exception as e:
      print(f"Error fetching logs: {e}")
      return [], None

  print(f"Retrieved {len(records)} total records from {page_num} pages")
  return records, newest_time

requirements.txt:

functions-framework==3.*
google-cloud-storage==2.*
urllib3>=2.0.0

Click Deploy to save and deploy the function.
Wait for deployment to complete (2-3 minutes).

Note: The Pub/Sub trigger configuration automatically creates the necessary subscriptions and permissions.

Create Cloud Scheduler job

Cloud Scheduler will publish messages to the Pub/Sub topic at regular intervals, triggering the Cloud Run function.

In the GCP Console, go to Cloud Scheduler.
Click Create Job.

Provide the following configuration details:

Setting	Value
Name	`netdocuments-logs-collector-hourly`
Region	Select same region as Cloud Run function
Frequency	`0 * * * *` (every hour, on the hour)
Timezone	Select timezone (UTC recommended)
Target type	Pub/Sub
Topic	Select the topic `netdocuments-logs-trigger`
Message body	`{}` (empty JSON object)

Click Create.

Schedule frequency options

Choose frequency based on log volume and latency requirements:

Frequency	Cron Expression	Use Case
Every 5 minutes	`/5 * * *`	High-volume, low-latency
Every 15 minutes	`/15 * * *`	Medium volume
Every hour	`0 * * * *`	Standard (recommended)
Every 6 hours	`0 /6 * *`	Low volume, batch processing
Daily	`0 0 * * *`	Historical data collection

Test the integration

In the Cloud Scheduler console, find your job.
Click Force run to trigger the job manually.
Wait a few seconds.
Go to Cloud Run > Services.
Click on netdocuments-logs-collector.
Click the Logs tab.

Verify the function executed successfully. Look for:

Fetching logs from YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+00:00 to YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+00:00
Page 1: Retrieved X events
Wrote X records to gs://netdocuments-audit-logs/netdocuments/logs_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.ndjson
Successfully processed X records

Go to Cloud Storage > Buckets.
Click on your bucket name (netdocuments-audit-logs).
Navigate to the netdocuments/ folder.
Verify that a new .ndjson file was created with the current timestamp.

If you see errors in the logs:

HTTP 401: Check OAuth2 credentials in environment variables
HTTP 403: Verify account has required Repository Admin or Organization Admin permissions
HTTP 429: Rate limiting - function will automatically retry with backoff
Missing environment variables: Check all required variables are set

Configure a feed in Google SecOps to ingest NetDocuments logs

Go to SIEM Settings > Feeds.
Click Add New Feed.
Click Configure a single feed.
In the Feed name field, enter a name for the feed (for example, NetDocuments Logs).
Select Google Cloud Storage V2 as the Source type.
Select NetDocuments as the Log type.
Click Get Service Account. A unique service account email will be displayed, for example:
```
chronicle-12345678@chronicle-gcp-prod.iam.gserviceaccount.com
```
Copy this email address.

Note: Each Google SecOps instance has a unique service account. Do not use service accounts from other documentation or examples.
Click Next.
Specify values for the following input parameters:
- Storage bucket URL: Enter the GCS bucket URI with the prefix path:
```
gs://netdocuments-audit-logs/netdocuments/
```
  - Replace:
    - netdocuments-audit-logs: Your GCS bucket name.
    - netdocuments: Optional prefix/folder path where logs are stored (leave empty for root).
Note: Always include the trailing slash (/) at the end of the URI.
- Source deletion option: Select the deletion option according to your preference:
  - Never: Never deletes any files after transfers (recommended for testing).
  - Delete transferred files: Deletes files after successful transfer.
  - Delete transferred files and empty directories: Deletes files and empty directories after successful transfer.
    
    Note: If you select a deletion option, the service account must have Storage Object Admin role instead of Storage Object Viewer. Update IAM permissions accordingly.
- Maximum File Age: Include files modified in the last number of days (default is 180 days)
- Asset namespace: The asset namespace
- Ingestion labels: The label to be applied to the events from this feed
Click Next.
Review your new feed configuration in the Finalize screen, and then click Submit.

Grant IAM permissions to the Google SecOps service account

The Google SecOps service account needs Storage Object Viewer role on your GCS bucket.

Go to Cloud Storage > Buckets.
Click on your bucket name.
Go to the Permissions tab.
Click Grant access.
Provide the following configuration details:
- Add principals: Paste the Google SecOps service account email
- Assign roles: Select Storage Object Viewer
Click Save.

UDM mapping table

Log Field	UDM Mapping	Logic
description, name	metadata.description	A human-readable description of the event.
date	metadata.event_timestamp	The time when the event occurred.
	metadata.event_type	The type of event.
source.id	principal.asset.hostname	The hostname of the asset associated with the principal.
host	principal.asset.ip	The IP address of the asset associated with the principal.
source.id	principal.hostname	The hostname associated with the principal.
host	principal.ip	The IP address associated with the principal.
source.name	principal.resource.attribute.labels	A map of labels for the principal's resource.
user.email	principal.user.email_addresses	The email addresses associated with the user.
user.memberType	principal.user.role_name	The role name of the user.
user.name	principal.user.user_display_name	The display name of the user.
user.id	principal.user.userid	The user ID of the principal.
storageObject.fileExtension	target.file.mime_type	The MIME type of the target file.
storageObject.name	target.file.names	The names of the target files.
storageObject.size	target.file.size	The size of the target file in bytes.
storageObject.version, storageObject.collabSpace, storageObject.NetBinder, storageObject.cabinet.name, storageObject.cabinet.id	target.resource.attribute.labels	A map of labels for the target resource.
storageObject.docId	target.resource.product_object_id	The product-specific object ID of the target resource.

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