How can one ensure secure communication and data integrity between an Android app and a PHP script, considering the potential threats posed by network sniffing and unauthorized access to source code?
To ensure secure communication and data integrity between an Android app and a PHP script, you can implement HTTPS encryption using SSL/TLS protocols. This will encrypt the data being transmitted between the app and the server, protecting it from network sniffing attacks. Additionally, you can use authentication mechanisms such as API keys or OAuth tokens to prevent unauthorized access to the PHP script.
// Enable HTTPS encryption in PHP script
if ($_SERVER['HTTPS'] != "on") {
header("Location: https://" . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] . $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
exit();
}
// Authenticate API key in PHP script
$api_key = "your_api_key_here";
if ($_GET['api_key'] != $api_key) {
http_response_code(401);
echo json_encode(array("error" => "Unauthorized access"));
exit();
}
// Process data securely
// Your PHP script logic goes here