What are the potential security risks of using user@domain authentication in PHP scripts?

Using user@domain authentication in PHP scripts can potentially expose sensitive information, such as the user's email address and domain, to malicious users. This can lead to security risks such as email harvesting, spamming, and targeted phishing attacks. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended to avoid displaying user@domain authentication information in plain text within the PHP scripts.

<?php
// Avoid displaying user@domain authentication information in plain text
// Instead, store sensitive information in environment variables or configuration files

$server = getenv('EMAIL_SERVER');
$username = getenv('EMAIL_USERNAME');
$password = getenv('EMAIL_PASSWORD');

// Use the stored credentials for authentication
// Your authentication logic here
?>