Are there any specific PHP functions or methods that can help in securely handling form data, especially passwords?

When handling form data, especially passwords, it is crucial to securely process and store them to prevent unauthorized access. One common practice is to hash the passwords using a strong hashing algorithm like bcrypt before storing them in the database. PHP provides functions like password_hash() and password_verify() that can help securely handle passwords by generating hashed passwords and verifying them during login processes.

// Hashing the password before storing it in the database
$password = 'user_password';
$hashed_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

// Verifying the password during login
$entered_password = 'user_entered_password';
if(password_verify($entered_password, $hashed_password)) {
    // Password is correct
    // Proceed with login
} else {
    // Password is incorrect
    // Display error message
}