What are the potential security risks associated with using HTAccess to protect directories/files in PHP applications?

Potential security risks associated with using HTAccess to protect directories/files in PHP applications include misconfigurations that could potentially expose sensitive data, inadequate protection against unauthorized access, and potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended to implement additional security measures within the PHP application itself, such as using authentication and authorization mechanisms.

// Example of implementing authentication and authorization in PHP
session_start();

// Check if user is authenticated
if (!isset($_SESSION['authenticated']) || $_SESSION['authenticated'] !== true) {
    header('Location: login.php');
    exit;
}

// Check if user has necessary permissions
if ($_SESSION['role'] !== 'admin') {
    header('Location: unauthorized.php');
    exit;
}