How can we securely pass variables in the URL in PHP?

Passing variables in the URL can be insecure as it exposes sensitive information. To securely pass variables in the URL in PHP, you can use encryption techniques like hashing or encrypting the data before appending it to the URL. This way, even if the URL is intercepted, the data remains secure.

// Encrypt the variable before passing it in the URL
$variable = 'sensitive_data';
$encrypted_variable = base64_encode(openssl_encrypt($variable, 'AES-256-CBC', 'secret_key', 0, 'random_iv'));

// Append the encrypted variable to the URL
$url = 'https://example.com/page.php?data=' . urlencode($encrypted_variable);