What are the risks associated with using HTTP_REFERER for access restriction in PHP applications?

Using HTTP_REFERER for access restriction in PHP applications is risky because it can be easily spoofed or manipulated by the user, leading to unauthorized access. It is not a reliable method for security purposes. A more secure approach would be to implement proper authentication and authorization mechanisms within your application.

// Implementing proper authentication and authorization mechanism
session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['logged_in']) || $_SESSION['logged_in'] !== true) {
    header("Location: login.php");
    exit;
}

// Your restricted content here