What are potential security risks associated with storing database access credentials in the htdoc folder?

Storing database access credentials in the htdocs folder poses a significant security risk as it allows anyone with access to the web server to potentially view and misuse these sensitive credentials. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to store the credentials in a separate configuration file outside of the web root directory. 

```php
<?php
// config.php
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_USER', 'username');
define('DB_PASS', 'password');
define('DB_NAME', 'database_name');
?>
```

In your PHP files, include the config file using require_once or include_once to access the database credentials securely.

Keywords

security risks database access credentials htdoc folder sensitive information exposure data breach

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