What potential pitfalls should be considered when using QR codes in PHP for security checks?

One potential pitfall when using QR codes in PHP for security checks is the risk of QR code manipulation or injection attacks. To mitigate this risk, it is important to validate the QR code data before using it in any security-sensitive operations. This can be done by verifying the format, content, and authenticity of the QR code data.

// Validate QR code data before using it for security checks
$qrCodeData = $_GET['qr_code'];

// Verify QR code format
if (preg_match('/^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$/', $qrCodeData)) {
    // Proceed with security checks
} else {
    // Handle invalid QR code format
    die('Invalid QR code format');
}