How can PHP developers verify the file type and content of uploaded images to prevent malicious uploads?

To verify the file type and content of uploaded images, PHP developers can use the `getimagesize()` function to check the image type and dimensions. Additionally, they can use the `exif_imagetype()` function to further validate the image type. By combining these functions, developers can prevent malicious uploads by only allowing certain image types to be uploaded.

// Verify the file type and content of uploaded images
$allowedTypes = array(IMAGETYPE_JPEG, IMAGETYPE_PNG, IMAGETYPE_GIF);
$uploadedFile = $_FILES['image']['tmp_name'];

if (exif_imagetype($uploadedFile) && in_array(getimagesize($uploadedFile)[2], $allowedTypes)) {
    // Process the uploaded image
} else {
    // Invalid image type or content
    echo "Invalid image type. Only JPEG, PNG, and GIF files are allowed.";
}