MODULE 9
PHP AND SESSIONS/AUTHENTICATION
What is a Session?
AsessionisamechanisminPHPthatallowsyoutostoreandretrievedataonaper-userbasisacrossmultiple
pages. It enables the web server to recognize and remember individual users, even if they navigate through
different pages or make multiple requests to the server. Sessions are typically used to store user-specific
information, such as login credentials, shopping cart items, and user preferences
Starting a Session
To begin a session in PHP, you need to call the session_start() functionattheverybeginningofyourscript,
before any HTML output or whitespace. This function initializes or resumes an existing session, creating a
unique session identifier for the user.
Storing Data in Sessions
Youcanstoredatainasessionusingthe$_SESSIONsuperglobal,whichisanassociativearray.Toadddatato
the session, simply assign values to keys within this array.
Retrieving Data from Sessions
Retrieving data from the session is as straightforward as accessing elements of the$_SESSIONarray.
Updating Session Data
You can update session data by reassigning values to specific keys within the$_SESSIONarray.
Destroying Sessions
Endingasessionisimportantforsecurityandresourcemanagement.Youcandestroyasessionandremoveall
its data using thesession_destroy()function.
Session Security
Ensuring the security of user sessions is crucial to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. Here are
some best practices:
● Use HTTPS: Always use a secure connection (HTTPS) to transmit session data to prevent
eavesdropping.
● Session Regeneration: Regenerate session IDs periodically to prevent session fixation attacks.
● Session Timeout: Set a reasonable session timeout to automatically expire inactive sessions.
● Validation and Sanitization: Validate and sanitize session data to prevent injection attacks.
BEST PRACTICES
● Only store essential user data in sessions, and avoid storing sensitive information like passwords.
● Always start sessions at the beginning of your scripts before any output.
● Use proper error handling to deal with session-related issues.
● Be mindful of session storage mechanisms (e.g., file-based, database-based) and configure them
securely.
BUILDING A BASIC AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM
Authentication is a fundamental aspect of web application security. It ensures that only authorized userscan
access certain resources or perform specific actions within a web application.Inthislecture,wewillexplore
how to build a basic authentication system in PHP, including user registration, login, and session management.
Database Configuration
We'll need a database to store user information. Create a database and a table to hold user data. Here's an
example SQL schema:
User Registration
Registration Form (register.php)
Create an HTML form to collect user registration information:
Processing Registration (register.php)
Inregister.php, handle form submission and insertuser data into the database:
User Login
Login Form (login.php)
Create an HTML form for user login:
Processing Login (login.php)
In login.php, verify user credentials against the database:
SESSION MANAGEMENT
Starting a Session
InPHP,youcanstartasessionusingsession_start().Placethisatthetopofeachpagewhereyouwanttoaccess
session data.
Accessing Session Data
You can access session data like this:
Protecting Restricted Pages
To protect restricted pages, check if the user is authenticated (has an active session) on each protected page:
Logout
Create a logout script (e.g., logout.php) to destroy the session and log the user out:
Security Considerations
● Always use prepared statements or an ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) to prevent SQL injection.
● Store passwords securely using PHP's password_hash() function and verify them using
password_verify().
● Use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit.
● Implement brute force protection and account lockout mechanisms.
● Regularly update and patch your server, PHP, and database software for security updates.
Conclusion
In this lecture, we've learned how to build a basic authentication system in PHP, including user registration,
login,sessionmanagement,protectingrestrictedpages,andimplementinglogoutfunctionality.It'simportantto
follow security best practices to ensure the system is robust and secure.
