How can server-side validation be implemented to prevent unauthorized data manipulation in PHP applications?

Server-side validation can be implemented in PHP applications by checking the incoming data for any unauthorized or malicious manipulation. This can be done by validating the data against predefined rules, such as data type, length, format, and range. By implementing server-side validation, you can ensure that only valid and safe data is processed by your application, preventing any unauthorized data manipulation.

// Example of server-side validation in PHP

// Define validation rules
$rules = [
    'username' => '/^[a-zA-Z0-9_]{5,20}$/',
    'email' => 'filter_var(INPUT_POST, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)',
    'age' => '/^\d{1,3}$/'
];

// Validate incoming data
foreach ($_POST as $key => $value) {
    if (!preg_match($rules[$key], $value)) {
        // Handle validation error
        die("Invalid $key value");
    }
}

// Process the validated data
// Your code to handle the validated data goes here