What are the potential security risks of using URL file-access in PHP scripts?

Using URL file-access in PHP scripts can pose security risks as it allows an attacker to read sensitive files on the server or execute remote code. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to disable URL file-access in PHP configuration settings or use alternative methods to access remote files, such as cURL or file_get_contents with proper validation and sanitization.

// Disable URL file-access in PHP configuration settings
// or use alternative methods like cURL or file_get_contents with proper validation and sanitization
ini_set('allow_url_fopen', 0);