One of the key features of BotBlocker is its flexible approach to storing and managing security logs. This functionality gives you full control over how long event data is kept, how it is used for statistics, and how time is recorded, so your site’s analytics and compliance are always up to date.
BotBlocker allows administrators to set the log retention period directly in the plugin’s settings. You can define how many days logs are stored before they’re automatically deleted.
This is especially important for GDPR and privacy compliance, as well as for keeping your WordPress site fast and uncluttered.
For most small and mid-size sites, a retention window of 14 to 30 days is enough to investigate suspicious activity and respond to incidents. Larger projects with dedicated security teams may prefer 60 or 90 days to support deeper forensic review. Either way, BotBlocker makes it easy to adjust the log period at any time without restarting the plugin or touching the database manually. According to Article 5 of the GDPR, personal data should not be kept longer than necessary, so having this control built directly into the plugin is a practical advantage for site owners who need to stay compliant.
Alongside raw logs, BotBlocker includes a feature for summary analytics (aggregate statistics). In the settings, you can select the period (in days) for which the plugin will calculate and display consolidated stats.
This separation between raw log storage and summary analytics is intentional. You might want to store detailed log entries for only 7 days for privacy reasons, but still display aggregated charts for the last 30 days. BotBlocker handles both independently, so you are not forced to choose between compliance and visibility. Summary analytics give your team a high-level picture of bot activity, blocked requests, and risk patterns without needing to scroll through thousands of individual records. This makes daily review faster and more practical, especially for non-technical site owners who need clear numbers rather than raw data.
BotBlocker records log timestamps based on your selected time zone. You can specify the preferred time zone directly in the plugin settings.
This ensures that all data – both raw logs and summary charts – always match your regional settings and reporting standards.
Incorrect time zone settings are a common source of confusion when reviewing security events. If a server runs on UTC but your team works in a different region, a two-hour or three-hour offset can make it hard to tell when an attack actually happened. BotBlocker removes this friction by storing and displaying all log entries in your chosen local time. This is particularly useful for teams that review security reports during business hours and need timestamps that match their own working day. The IANA Time Zone Database is used as the standard reference, which guarantees broad compatibility across server environments and regions.
Having all this detail in a single log entry means you rarely need to cross-reference external tools to understand what happened. The IP address tells you where the request came from, the User-Agent reveals what client was used, and the risk factors explain why BotBlocker made the decision it did. This level of transparency makes it straightforward to audit security decisions and, if needed, to adjust rules for edge cases where legitimate traffic might have been flagged. Consistent log structure also makes it easier to export data for external analysis or to share records with a developer or security consultant.
Can I keep logs forever?
No, but you can set a long retention period if needed. Keeping logs indefinitely is not recommended for privacy and performance reasons.
Does deleting old logs affect summary analytics?
No. Analytics are recalculated only for the selected summary period.
What happens if the time zone changes?
All logs and analytics are updated to reflect your chosen time zone, including daylight saving time shifts.
