What potential pitfalls should be considered when implementing automatic CSV file downloads in PHP?

One potential pitfall to consider when implementing automatic CSV file downloads in PHP is the possibility of exposing sensitive data if proper security measures are not in place. To mitigate this risk, ensure that the script only allows authorized users to download the files and that sensitive information is properly sanitized before being included in the CSV. 

<?php
// Check if user is authorized to download the file
if($user->isAdmin()) {
    // Sanitize sensitive data before including in the CSV file
    $data = sanitizeData($sensitiveData);

    // Set appropriate headers for CSV download
    header('Content-Type: text/csv');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="data.csv"');

    // Output CSV data
    $output = fopen('php://output', 'w');
    foreach ($data as $row) {
        fputcsv($output, $row);
    }
    fclose($output);
} else {
    echo "Unauthorized access";
}
?>

Keywords

file handling CSV download headers error handling

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