Why Security Matters in PHP
PHP powers a significant portion of the web, making it a target for attacks. This article covers essential security practices.
1. Sanitize and Validate Input
Always validate user input to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks. Use functions like filter_var():
$email = filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_SANITIZE_EMAIL);
2. Use Prepared Statements
Prevent SQL injection with PDO prepared statements:
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = ?");
$stmt->execute([$email]);
3. Enable HTTPS
Ensure your site uses HTTPS to encrypt data in transit.
4. Secure Session Management
Use secure cookies and regenerate session IDs:
session_start(['cookie_secure' => true, 'cookie_httponly' => true]); session_regenerate_id(true);
Conclusion
Implementing these practices reduces vulnerabilities and protects your users. Stay updated with PHP security advisories.