What are the potential risks of using hidden text fields that are sent as $_POST variables?

The potential risks of using hidden text fields that are sent as $_POST variables include the possibility of data manipulation by the user. To mitigate this risk, you can use server-side validation to verify the integrity of the data being submitted.

// Server-side validation example
if(isset($_POST['hidden_field'])) {
    $hidden_field = $_POST['hidden_field'];

    // Validate the hidden field value
    if($hidden_field !== 'expected_value') {
        // Handle invalid input
    } else {
        // Proceed with processing the form data
    }
}