What are the potential risks of using the eval() function in PHP for executing user input?

Using the eval() function in PHP to execute user input can pose serious security risks, as it allows the user to run arbitrary code on the server. This can lead to code injection attacks, where malicious code is executed within the application. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to avoid using eval() with user input and instead use alternative methods such as conditional statements or predefined functions.

$user_input = "echo 'Hello, World!';";
// Avoid using eval() with user input
// Use predefined functions or conditional statements instead
eval($user_input); // Avoid using eval() with user input