How can PHP developers ensure the proper handling and storage of data encoded in SHA 256 HEX format?

To ensure the proper handling and storage of data encoded in SHA 256 HEX format, PHP developers should use secure methods for storing and retrieving the data, such as using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks and validating user input to prevent cross-site scripting attacks. Additionally, developers should securely hash the data using the hash() function with the SHA256 algorithm and store the hashed value in a secure database or file system.

// Sample PHP code snippet to securely hash and store data encoded in SHA 256 HEX format

// Data to be hashed
$data = "Hello World";

// Hash the data using SHA256 algorithm
$hashedData = hash('sha256', $data);

// Store the hashed data in a secure database or file system
// Example: Storing hashed data in a MySQL database using prepared statements
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("INSERT INTO table_name (hashed_data) VALUES (:hashedData)");
$stmt->bindParam(':hashedData', $hashedData);
$stmt->execute();