How can PHP beginners encrypt passwords in scripts for secure database connections?

To encrypt passwords in scripts for secure database connections, PHP beginners can use functions like password_hash() to securely hash passwords before storing them in the database. This helps protect user passwords from being exposed in case of a data breach. When authenticating users, PHP scripts can use password_verify() to compare the hashed password with the input password for secure validation.

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

// Storing the hashed password in the database

// Validating user input password during authentication
$input_password = 'user_input_password';

if(password_verify($input_password, $hashed_password)) {
    // Passwords match, proceed with authentication
} else {
    // Passwords do not match, authentication failed
}