What are the potential pitfalls of converting a membership number into a barcode using PHP?

One potential pitfall of converting a membership number into a barcode using PHP is the risk of exposing sensitive information if the barcode is not properly secured. To solve this issue, it is important to ensure that the barcode generation process is secure and that the membership number is not stored or transmitted in plain text.

<?php
// Generate a barcode from a membership number securely
$membershipNumber = "123456789";
$barcodeData = hash('sha256', $membershipNumber); // Hash the membership number
$barcode = barcode_generate($barcodeData); // Generate the barcode using a secure method

function barcode_generate($data) {
    // Implement a secure method to generate the barcode from the hashed data
    // This could involve using a library like TCPDF or Barcode Generator
    return $barcode;
}
?>