What are the potential security risks of storing cookies on the server in a PHP application like the one described in the forum thread?

Storing cookies on the server in a PHP application can pose security risks as it exposes sensitive user data to potential attacks. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to store only a unique identifier in the cookie and keep the actual data on the server side. This way, even if the cookie is compromised, the sensitive information remains secure. 

// Set a unique identifier in the cookie
$uniqueId = uniqid();
setcookie('session_id', $uniqueId, time() + 3600, '/', '', false, true);

// Store sensitive data on the server side
$_SESSION['user_data'] = [
    'username' => 'example_user',
    'email' => 'example@example.com'
];

Keywords

cookies server-side security risks PHP application forum thread

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