How can PHP be used to verify the file type of uploaded images to prevent potential security risks?

To verify the file type of uploaded images in PHP, you can use the `$_FILES` superglobal array to access the file information and then use functions like `getimagesize()` or `exif_imagetype()` to determine the file type. By verifying the file type, you can prevent potential security risks such as executing malicious code disguised as an image file. 

$uploadedFile = $_FILES['image']['tmp_name'];

// Use getimagesize() function to get the image size and type
$imageInfo = getimagesize($uploadedFile);
if($imageInfo === false) {
    die("Error: File is not an image.");
}

// Check if the file type is allowed (e.g., JPEG, PNG, GIF)
$allowedTypes = array(IMAGETYPE_JPEG, IMAGETYPE_PNG, IMAGETYPE_GIF);
if(!in_array($imageInfo[2], $allowedTypes)) {
    die("Error: Only JPEG, PNG, and GIF images are allowed.");
}

// Continue with the file upload process

Keywords

PHP file type verification uploaded images security risks functions

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