How can PHP developers balance the need for data security with the performance impact of encryption on database operations?

To balance the need for data security with the performance impact of encryption on database operations, PHP developers can implement selective encryption. This means only encrypting sensitive data fields in the database, such as passwords or personal information, while leaving non-sensitive data unencrypted to reduce the performance impact. By encrypting only the necessary data, developers can maintain data security without significantly affecting database operations.

// Encrypt sensitive data before storing in the database
$sensitiveData = "password123";
$encryptedData = openssl_encrypt($sensitiveData, 'AES-256-CBC', 'encryption_key', 0, 'encryption_iv');

// Store encrypted data in the database
$query = "INSERT INTO users (username, password) VALUES ('john_doe', '$encryptedData')";
mysqli_query($connection, $query);