Are there any best practices to follow when using external programs in PHP to ensure smooth functionality and security?

When using external programs in PHP, it is important to follow best practices to ensure smooth functionality and security. One key practice is to validate and sanitize user input to prevent injection attacks. Additionally, always use secure methods to communicate with external programs, such as using HTTPS for API requests. Finally, regularly update and patch any external programs to mitigate vulnerabilities. 

// Validate and sanitize user input
$user_input = $_POST['user_input'];
$clean_input = filter_var($user_input, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Use secure communication methods
$url = 'https://api.example.com/data';
$response = file_get_contents($url);

// Update and patch external programs
// Regularly check for updates and apply patches to ensure security

Keywords

PHP external programs security functionality best practices

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