What are the potential pitfalls of using a text file to store generated codes in PHP?

Storing generated codes in a text file can pose security risks as the file may be accessible to unauthorized users. It is also less efficient than using a database for storage and retrieval of codes. To mitigate these risks, consider encrypting the codes before storing them in the text file and implementing proper file permissions to restrict access. 

// Encrypt the generated code before storing it in the text file
$code = "ABC123";
$encryptedCode = openssl_encrypt($code, 'AES-256-CBC', 'secret_key', 0, 'random_iv');

// Store the encrypted code in a text file
file_put_contents('codes.txt', $encryptedCode);

// Set proper file permissions to restrict access
chmod('codes.txt', 0600);

Keywords

file handling security risks data corruption file permissions error handling

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