What best practices should be followed when implementing a role-based access control system in a PHP CMS?

When implementing a role-based access control system in a PHP CMS, it is important to follow best practices to ensure security and proper user permissions. This includes defining roles and permissions, checking user roles before granting access to specific content or functionality, and securing sensitive data.

// Define roles and permissions
$roles = [
    'admin' => ['manage_users', 'manage_content'],
    'editor' => ['manage_content'],
    'subscriber' => ['view_content']
];

// Check user role before granting access
function checkRole($userRole, $requiredPermission) {
    global $roles;
    
    if(isset($roles[$userRole]) && in_array($requiredPermission, $roles[$userRole])) {
        return true;
    } else {
        return false;
    }
}

// Secure sensitive data
if(checkRole('admin', 'manage_users')) {
    // Display sensitive data
} else {
    // Display error message
}