What are some best practices for handling image map interactions in PHP to ensure data security and client-side privacy?

When handling image map interactions in PHP, it is essential to validate user input to prevent malicious data injection and ensure client-side privacy. One best practice is to sanitize and validate the coordinates sent from the client to ensure they fall within the boundaries of the image map. Additionally, consider implementing measures such as CSRF tokens to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.

// Validate and sanitize the coordinates sent from the client
$coordinates = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'coordinates', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Validate if the coordinates fall within the boundaries of the image map
if (validateCoordinates($coordinates)) {
    // Process the interaction securely
} else {
    // Handle invalid input or potential attacks
}

// Function to validate coordinates
function validateCoordinates($coordinates) {
    // Implement validation logic here
    return true; // Return true if coordinates are valid, false otherwise
}