How can prepared statements in PHP help prevent security vulnerabilities when interacting with a database?

Prepared statements in PHP help prevent SQL injection attacks by separating SQL code from user input. This means that user input is treated as data rather than executable code, making it impossible for attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. By using prepared statements, developers can ensure that their database interactions are secure and protected from potential vulnerabilities.

// Using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username");
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);
$stmt->execute();