{"id":260389,"date":"2025-11-22T16:36:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T16:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/cf7-captcha-simple-captcha-for-contact-form-7\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T12:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T12:01:12","slug":"botshield-captcha","status":"publish","type":"plugin","link":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/botshield-captcha\/","author":20442897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"version":"2.1.1","stable_tag":"2.1.1","tested":"7.1.1","requires":"5.0","requires_php":"7.4","requires_plugins":null,"header_name":"BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7","header_author":"R.Sabbir","header_description":"Adds CAPTCHA functionality to Contact Form 7 forms to prevent spam submissions. 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Includes security-focused maintenance, updated WordPress 7.1 compatibility metadata, and clearer Contact Form 7 anti-spam documentation.<\/p>","2.0.0":"<p>Major release! Added Cloudflare Turnstile and Google reCAPTCHA support, a modern tabbed settings page, and enhanced security improvements.<\/p>","1.0.0":"<p>Initial release of BotShield CAPTCHA. Add spam protection to Contact Form 7 forms with simple CAPTCHA challenges. No API keys required!<\/p>"},"ratings":{"1":0,"2":0,"3":0,"4":0,"5":1},"assets_icons":{"icon-256x256.png":{"filename":"icon-256x256.png","revision":3442804,"resolution":"256x256","location":"assets","locale":"","width":256,"height":256}},"assets_banners":{"banner-1544x500.png":{"filename":"banner-1544x500.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"1544x500","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1544,"height":500}},"assets_blueprints":{},"all_blocks":[],"tagged_versions":["2.0.0","2.1.0","2.1.1"],"block_files":[],"assets_screenshots":{"screenshot-1.png":{"filename":"screenshot-1.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"1","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1452,"height":732},"screenshot-2.png":{"filename":"screenshot-2.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"2","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1461,"height":829},"screenshot-3.png":{"filename":"screenshot-3.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"3","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1410,"height":733},"screenshot-4.png":{"filename":"screenshot-4.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"4","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1416,"height":751},"screenshot-5.png":{"filename":"screenshot-5.png","revision":3686545,"resolution":"5","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1358,"height":1140},"screenshot-6.png":{"filename":"screenshot-6.png","revision":3442804,"resolution":"6","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1410,"height":733},"screenshot-7.png":{"filename":"screenshot-7.png","revision":3442804,"resolution":"7","location":"assets","locale":"","width":1410,"height":733}},"screenshots":{"1":"Contact Form 7 tag generator interface for easy CAPTCHA shortcode creation","2":"General Settings - CAPTCHA Type selection","3":"Integration Settings - Provider Configuration","4":"Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA on contact form","5":"Google reCAPTCHA on contact form","6":"Arithmetic CAPTCHA displaying a math challenge on the contact form","7":"Alphanumeric image CAPTCHA showing distorted text characters for security"}},"plugin_section":[],"plugin_tags":[2656,362,214689,1152,595],"plugin_category":[44,54],"plugin_contributors":[],"plugin_business_model":[],"class_list":["post-260389","plugin","type-plugin","status-publish","hentry","plugin_tags-anti-spam","plugin_tags-captcha","plugin_tags-cloudflare-turnstile","plugin_tags-contact-form-7","plugin_tags-recaptcha","plugin_category-discussion-and-community","plugin_category-security-and-spam-protection","plugin_committers-sabbir37"],"banners":[],"icons":{"svg":false,"icon":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/icon-256x256.png?rev=3442804","icon_2x":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/icon-256x256.png?rev=3442804","generated":false},"screenshots":[{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-1.png?rev=3686545","caption":"Contact Form 7 tag generator interface for easy CAPTCHA shortcode creation"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-2.png?rev=3686545","caption":"General Settings - CAPTCHA Type selection"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-3.png?rev=3686545","caption":"Integration Settings - Provider Configuration"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-4.png?rev=3686545","caption":"Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA on contact form"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-5.png?rev=3686545","caption":"Google reCAPTCHA on contact form"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-6.png?rev=3442804","caption":"Arithmetic CAPTCHA displaying a math challenge on the contact form"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/botshield-captcha\/assets\/screenshot-7.png?rev=3442804","caption":"Alphanumeric image CAPTCHA showing distorted text characters for security"}],"raw_content":"<!--section=description-->\n<p>Stop contact form spam with <strong>BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7<\/strong>. This all-in-one anti-spam plugin integrates <strong>Google reCAPTCHA (v2 Checkbox &amp; v3 Invisible)<\/strong>, <strong>Cloudflare Turnstile<\/strong> (privacy-focused), and lightweight <strong>built-in Arithmetic\/Image CAPTCHA challenges<\/strong> to block bots while letting real users pass.<\/p>\n\n<p>Whether you need strict security or a friction-free user experience, BotShield gives you complete control over your specific form protection needs. No more spam submissions, fake leads, or automated bot attacks.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Protect Your WooCommerce Store with Enterprise-Grade Security.<\/strong> Upgrade to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/woocommerce.com\/products\/securegate-captcha\/\">SecureGate CAPTCHA<\/a><\/strong> for ultimate full-site protection. Instantly block spam, fake registrations, and checkout fraud using intelligent Cloudflare Turnstile, Google reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, and powerful Geo-Blocking rules\u2014keeping your store fast, secure, and entirely bot-free.<\/p>\n\n<h4>Key Features &amp; Benefits<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Multi-Provider Support<\/strong>: Choose between Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile, or Self-hosted challenges.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Google reCAPTCHA Integration<\/strong>: Supports both <strong>v2 (\"I'm not a robot\")<\/strong> and <strong>v3 (Invisible)<\/strong> keys.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cloudflare Turnstile<\/strong>: The modern, privacy-friendly alternative that stops bots without annoying puzzles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lightweight Built-in Protection<\/strong>: Use simple Math or Image CAPTCHAs without needing any external API keys.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Seamless Contact Form 7 Integration<\/strong>: Adds a dedicated \"BotShield\" tag generator button directly to the CF7 editor.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mobile Optimized<\/strong>: Fully responsive challenges that work perfectly on smartphones and tablets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Privacy-Conscious Options<\/strong>: Built-in challenges keep verification on your server, while Turnstile minimizes user friction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accessibility Ready<\/strong>: WCAG 2.1 compliant designs for screen reader support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Flexible Protection Options<\/h4>\n\n<p><strong>1. Google reCAPTCHA (The Industry Standard)<\/strong>\n*   <strong>v2 Checkbox<\/strong>: The classic \"I'm not a robot\" checkbox users trust.\n*   <strong>v3 Invisible<\/strong>: valid users are verified in the background with zero interaction.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>2. Cloudflare Turnstile (Privacy-First)<\/strong>\n*   Verify visitors without solving complex puzzles. Smart, fast, and respectful of user privacy.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>3. Built-in Challenges (No Keys Required)<\/strong>\n*   <strong>Arithmetic<\/strong>: Simple math questions (e.g., 7 + 2 = ?) effective against basic bots.\n*   <strong>Alphanumeric<\/strong>: Distorted text images for traditional verification.\n*   <em>Zero external dependency, 100% self-hosted.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<h4>Perfect For<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Contact forms<\/li>\n<li>Registration forms<\/li>\n<li>Quote request forms<\/li>\n<li>Newsletter signups<\/li>\n<li>Any Contact Form 7 form needing spam protection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Requirements<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>WordPress 5.0 or higher<\/li>\n<li>Contact Form 7 plugin (must be active)<\/li>\n<li>PHP 7.4 or higher<\/li>\n<li>GD PHP extension for image CAPTCHAs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>Privacy Policy<\/h3>\n\n<p>BotShield CAPTCHA does not store or sell form-user profiles, add tracking cookies, or share information for advertising. Built-in Arithmetic and Alphanumeric challenges are processed on your WordPress server. If you enable Google reCAPTCHA or Cloudflare Turnstile, the browser and server communicate with that provider to verify the challenge; those services are governed by their own privacy policies and terms.<\/p>\n\n<h3>Support &amp; Documentation<\/h3>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Support Forum: https:\/\/wordpress.org\/support\/plugin\/botshield-captcha\/<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<!--section=installation-->\n<h4>Step 1: Install &amp; Activate<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Go to your WordPress Dashboard &gt; <strong>Plugins<\/strong> &gt; <strong>Add New<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Search for <strong>\"BotShield CAPTCHA\"<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Install Now<\/strong> and then <strong>Activate<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Step 2: Configure Provider (Global Settings)<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Contact &gt; BotShield CAPTCHA<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Select your Default CAPTCHA Type<\/strong>:\n\n<ul>\n<li><em>Google reCAPTCHA<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Cloudflare Turnstile<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Arithmetic \/ Alphanumeric (Built-in)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/li>\n<li><strong>For reCAPTCHA\/Turnstile Users<\/strong>:\n\n<ul>\n<li>Switch to the <strong>\"Integration Settings\"<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<li>Enter your <strong>Site Key<\/strong> and <strong>Secret Key<\/strong> (links provided in the admin panel to get these for free).<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Save Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Step 3: Add to Your Form<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Go to <strong>Contact &gt; Contact Forms<\/strong> and edit your desired form.<\/li>\n<li>Click the <strong>\"BotShield\"<\/strong> button in the CF7 tag generator toolbar (usually above the message body text area).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Select Interaction Type<\/strong>: A popup will appear. You can use your \"Global Default\" or override it with a specific type (e.g., force \"Turnstile\" on this specific form).<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Insert Tag<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CRITICAL<\/strong>: Ensure the generated shortcode (e.g., <code>[captcha* captcha-answer]<\/code>) is placed <strong>ABOVE<\/strong> your <code>[submit]<\/code> button.<\/li>\n<li>Save the form.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Step 4: Verify<\/h4>\n\n<p>Visit your page with the contact form. You should now see the CAPTCHA of choice protecting your submission!<\/p>\n\n<!--section=faq-->\n<dl>\n<dt id=\"do%20i%20need%20api%20keys%3F\"><h3>Do I need API keys?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><ul>\n<li><strong>For Built-in CAPTCHAs<\/strong>: No, these work out of the box.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For Google reCAPTCHA<\/strong>: Yes, you need a free Site Key and Secret Key from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/admin\">Google reCAPTCHA Admin Console<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For Cloudflare Turnstile<\/strong>: Yes, you need a free Site Key and Secret Key from the <a href=\"https:\/\/dash.cloudflare.com\/\">Cloudflare Dashboard<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"which%20captcha%20should%20i%20choose%3F\"><h3>Which CAPTCHA should I choose?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><ul>\n<li><strong>reCAPTCHA v3<\/strong> or <strong>Cloudflare Turnstile<\/strong> are best for user experience (invisible\/frictionless).<\/li>\n<li><strong>reCAPTCHA v2<\/strong> is best if you want users to explicitly proving they are human.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Built-in<\/strong> is best for strict privacy requirements or local-only environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"is%20botshield%20captcha%20gdpr%20compliant%3F\"><h3>Is BotShield CAPTCHA GDPR compliant?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes.\n*   <strong>Built-in Challenges<\/strong>: 100% compliant, no data leaves your server.\n*   <strong>Cloudflare Turnstile<\/strong>: Privacy-focused and generally considered GDPR compliant.\n*   <strong>Google reCAPTCHA<\/strong>: Subject to Google's privacy policy and terms.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"does%20this%20plugin%20slow%20down%20my%20site%3F\"><h3>Does this plugin slow down my site?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>No. Assets (CSS\/JS) are conditionally loaded only on pages where a Contact Form 7 form is present. We prioritize performance and lightweight code.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20use%20multiple%20captchas%20per%20page%3F\"><h3>Can I use multiple CAPTCHAs per page?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! Each Contact Form 7 form can have its own independent CAPTCHA configuration.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"does%20it%20work%20on%20mobile%20devices%3F\"><h3>does it work on mobile devices?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Absolutely! The CAPTCHA is fully responsive and works perfectly on all devices including smartphones and tablets.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"is%20it%20accessible%20for%20people%20with%20disabilities%3F\"><h3>Is it accessible for people with disabilities?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! The plugin includes proper ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility following WCAG 2.1 guidelines.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20customize%20the%20appearance%3F\"><h3>Can I customize the appearance?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! Choose from three built-in themes (Default, Minimal, Modern) or add custom CSS for further customization.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"what%20is%20the%20botshield%20captcha%20shortcode%3F\"><h3>What is the BotShield CAPTCHA shortcode?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>The required shortcode is <code>[captcha* captcha-answer]<\/code>. This tag ensures that the user completes the CAPTCHA before submitting the form.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20use%20the%20shortcode%20for%20google%20recaptcha%20or%20turnstile%3F\"><h3>Can I use the shortcode for Google reCAPTCHA or Turnstile?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! The same <code>[captcha* captcha-answer]<\/code> shortcode works for all types. The plugin automatically renders the correct challenge (reCAPTCHA, Turnstile, or Built-in) based on your settings.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"how%20do%20i%20make%20the%20shortcode%20optional%3F\"><h3>How do I make the shortcode optional?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>To make the CAPTCHA optional (not recommended), use the tag without the asterisk: <code>[captcha captcha-answer]<\/code>.<\/p><\/dd>\n\n<\/dl>\n\n<!--section=changelog-->\n<h4>2.1.1<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Security<\/strong>: Continued security-focused maintenance of server-side CAPTCHA validation, token handling, and administrative permission checks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.1.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Security<\/strong>: Hardened CAPTCHA validation with stronger server-side token verification and enhanced permission checks for a more robust security posture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improved<\/strong>: Smoother, more intuitive admin experience with polished UI interactions and visual consistency across all settings screens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.0.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>New<\/strong>: Added support for Google reCAPTCHA (v2 Checkbox &amp; v3 Invisible).<\/li>\n<li><strong>New<\/strong>: Added support for Cloudflare Turnstile (Privacy-focused).<\/li>\n<li><strong>New<\/strong>: Completely redesigned Admin Dashboard with modern tabbed interface.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improved<\/strong>: General UI\/UX polish for better administrative experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>1.0.1<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Improved<\/strong>: Enhanced plugin security and validation protocols.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improved<\/strong>: General stability improvements and other minor fixes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>1.0.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Initial plugin release.<\/li>\n<li>Arithmetic CAPTCHA with math problems.<\/li>\n<li>Alphanumeric image CAPTCHA with distorted text.<\/li>\n<li>Three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard).<\/li>\n<li>No API keys required for built-in types.<\/li>\n<\/ul>","raw_excerpt":"Anti-spam CAPTCHA plugin for Contact Form 7. Block bots using Cloudflare Turnstile, Google reCAPTCHA, and built-in Arithmetic CAPTCHA challenges.","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin\/260389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/plugin"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260389"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wporg\/v1\/users\/sabbir37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"plugin_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_section?post=260389"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_tags?post=260389"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_category?post=260389"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_contributors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_contributors?post=260389"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_business_model","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsb.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_business_model?post=260389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}