What are the potential drawbacks of storing data in .ini files in PHP applications?

Storing data in .ini files in PHP applications can lead to security risks if sensitive information is stored in plain text. It can also be less efficient than using a database for storing and retrieving data. To mitigate these drawbacks, consider encrypting sensitive data before storing it in .ini files and regularly reviewing and updating the security measures in place. 

// Example of encrypting sensitive data before storing it in an .ini file
$iniData = [
    'username' => 'myUsername',
    'password' => encrypt('myPassword'),
];

$iniString = '';
foreach ($iniData as $key => $value) {
    $iniString .= "$key = $value\n";
}

file_put_contents('config.ini', $iniString);

Keywords

.ini files data storage security risks configuration management file manipulation

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