What best practices should be followed when handling password changes in PHP applications?

When handling password changes in PHP applications, it is crucial to follow best practices to ensure the security of user accounts. This includes using secure password hashing algorithms like bcrypt, enforcing minimum password length and complexity requirements, and requiring users to confirm their current password before making changes. 

// Example code for handling password changes in PHP applications

// Check if the current password matches the one stored in the database
if (password_verify($_POST['current_password'], $user['password'])) {
    
    // Validate the new password for length and complexity
    if (strlen($_POST['new_password']) >= 8 && preg_match('/[A-Za-z].*[0-9]|[0-9].*[A-Za-z]/', $_POST['new_password'])) {
        
        // Hash the new password securely
        $new_password_hash = password_hash($_POST['new_password'], PASSWORD_BCRYPT);
        
        // Update the user's password in the database
        $query = "UPDATE users SET password = :password WHERE id = :user_id";
        $stmt = $pdo->prepare($query);
        $stmt->execute(['password' => $new_password_hash, 'user_id' => $user['id']]);
        
        echo "Password changed successfully!";
        
    } else {
        echo "New password does not meet requirements.";
    }
} else {
    echo "Current password is incorrect.";
}

Keywords

password hashing password_verify password_hash password policy secure password storage

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