How can PHP developers securely manage user sessions and authentication to prevent unauthorized access?

To securely manage user sessions and authentication in PHP, developers should use session tokens with strong encryption, implement secure login mechanisms, and regularly validate user credentials. Additionally, developers should enforce strict session timeout policies and use secure cookies to prevent session hijacking. 

// Start a secure session
session_start();

// Set session variables
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $user_id;

// Validate user credentials
if($valid_credentials){
    // Redirect user to authenticated page
    header('Location: authenticated_page.php');
} else {
    // Redirect user to login page
    header('Location: login.php');
}

Keywords

PHP user sessions authentication security unauthorized access

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