What are the best practices for handling protected PHP scripts like the one mentioned in the thread?

When handling protected PHP scripts, it is essential to ensure that the code is secure and inaccessible to unauthorized users. One way to achieve this is by using authentication mechanisms such as username and password verification. Additionally, encrypting sensitive data within the script can add an extra layer of protection.

<?php

// Check if user is authenticated before executing the protected code
if ($_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'] !== 'username' || $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW'] !== 'password') {
    header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="Restricted Area"');
    header('HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized');
    echo 'Access Denied';
    exit;
}

// Protected code here

?>