How can the use of $_GET, $_POST, and $_REQUEST variables impact the security and performance of a PHP script?

Using $_GET, $_POST, and $_REQUEST variables can impact the security of a PHP script if not properly sanitized and validated. It can lead to vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other security risks. Additionally, using $_REQUEST can impact performance as it checks both $_GET and $_POST arrays, which can slow down the script.

// Sanitize and validate input data before using it in your script
$user_input = isset($_POST['user_input']) ? $_POST['user_input'] : '';

// Example of sanitizing user input to prevent SQL injection
$user_input = mysqli_real_escape_string($connection, $user_input);