What are some best practices for securing PHP code on a web server to prevent unauthorized access?

To secure PHP code on a web server and prevent unauthorized access, it is important to implement proper file permissions, use secure coding practices, and sanitize user inputs to prevent SQL injection and other vulnerabilities.

<?php
// Set proper file permissions
chmod("yourfile.php", 0644);

// Use secure coding practices
// Example: Use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ?");
$stmt->execute([$username]);

// Sanitize user inputs
$username = filter_var($_POST['username'], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
?>