How can the server address, username, and password of a different SMTP server be securely handled in PHP?

To securely handle the server address, username, and password of a different SMTP server in PHP, you can store this sensitive information in environment variables. This helps prevent exposing the credentials in your codebase and adds an extra layer of security. You can then access these environment variables in your PHP script to establish a secure connection to the SMTP server.

$serverAddress = getenv('SMTP_SERVER_ADDRESS');
$username = getenv('SMTP_USERNAME');
$password = getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD');

// Use the $serverAddress, $username, and $password variables to establish a secure connection to the SMTP server