What is the significance of the file:// wrapper in PHP form targets and how does it relate to the Same Origin Policy?

When using PHP form targets, the file:// wrapper can be significant as it allows access to local files on the server. However, this can pose a security risk as it bypasses the Same Origin Policy, potentially exposing sensitive information. To mitigate this risk, it is important to validate and sanitize user input before processing it in the PHP script.

// Example of validating and sanitizing user input in a PHP form target
$filename = $_POST['filename'];

// Validate and sanitize the input
$filename = filter_var($filename, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Check if the file exists before processing it
if (file_exists($filename)) {
    // Process the file
    // Add your code here
} else {
    // Handle the case where the file does not exist
    echo "File does not exist.";
}