PHP Security Tips
Tips For A PHP Application’s Security
I know exactly what many of you are thinking! Is there a link between PHP and security? What’s the goal of it all? Change the programming language you’re using!
Despite popular belief, PHP is still a viable language for constructing online applications. PHP is just another tool you’ll need to use properly. Let’s go through a few PHP-specific points that will improve the security of your site.
1. Keep the number of index.php and asset files on your website to a bare minimum.
You’ll point your webserver to a directory containing an index.php file, which will function as the site’s single point of entry in modern PHP. The index.php file will load Composer packages and construct the response using your secret code. It’s tempting to experiment with other PHP files in the webroot directory. You don’t want such files to be accidentally committed, resulting in a software bug. Furthermore, because the webserver can make configuration files available, none should be placed in the webroot. The only static files in your site root are JavaScript, CSS, and picture files.
2. Turn off the Display Errors option.
You can tell PHP to indicate problems during execution with the display errors php.ini directive. The errors that emerge can reveal sensitive information about your programs, such as secrets and SQL queries. It’s vital to turn them off in production. Any file path or an OS-level log service can be used for the error log.
3. Use the Password Hash to save your passwords.
Passwords should never be saved in plain text, as is common knowledge. However, many frameworks still use insecure hashing algorithms to transform passwords (I am looking at WordPress). Some older articles may suggest utilizing the md5 or hash functions to hash passwords in PHP. Couldn’t you put them to good use? The best approach to hash a role in PHP is to use the password hash function.
The plain text password is sent to the password hash function and a kind of algorithm (PASSWORD DEFAULT is a safe choice). The function returns the hashed password when the user logs in, which you can use for password verification afterward. Password Verify returns true or false depending on if the hash matches the given password. If you come across an article suggesting salting your passwords, don’t panic; password hashes don’t employ salts. The application automatically salts the password.
4. Ensure that all data transmissions are encrypted.
You’ll frequently need to interact with external services or storage mechanisms in your PHP program. At all times, you must use encrypted connections to the services. To secure data in transit, always use https URLs for APIs when using curl or soap. Additionally, if you’re using FTP, make sure you’re using a secure version like FTPS or SFTP. If you don’t employ secure communication, you risk leaking user data through network operations. TLS also verifies that the URL is what it claims to be, preventing you from sending sensitive data to a rogue actor.
5. Take Advantage Of Template Frameworks
PHP is commonly used as a template language in HTML files. PHP, on the other hand, does not automatically escape output. Running disables the usage of hazardous JavaScript in user-controlled forms and pages. Twig, a custom template option, is a good choice. Twig protects you from forgetting to escape user data by automatically running every output using its template syntax.