What security considerations should be taken into account when implementing a system where users input a company abbreviation to access their specific data in PHP?

When implementing a system where users input a company abbreviation to access their specific data in PHP, it is crucial to sanitize and validate user input to prevent SQL injection attacks and other security vulnerabilities. Additionally, access control measures should be implemented to ensure that users can only access data that they are authorized to view.

// Sanitize and validate user input
$companyAbbreviation = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'company_abbreviation', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Implement access control
if($companyAbbreviation === 'valid_company_abbreviation') {
    // Allow access to specific data
} else {
    // Display an error message or redirect to a different page
}