When building a web application that requires user authentication, it’s essential to ensure the security of user credentials. One common method is to store user information, including email addresses and hashed passwords, in a database. To verify user login attempts, you need to check the provided email and password against the stored data. In this article, we’ll explore how to accomplish this using PHP and a MySQL database.
Setting Up the Database:
Begin by creating a MySQL database with a table to store user information. The table should include fields such as id, email, and password_hash. It’s crucial to hash passwords before storing them using functions like Philippines email list password_hash() to enhance security.
Design a login form with fields for the user’s email and password. The form should have a submission button that sends the entered data to the server for validation.
PHP Validation Process:
Upon form submission, retrieve the entered email from the form data. Use the provided email to query the database and fetch the corresponding hashed password. Once you have the hashed password from the database, use the password_verify() function to compare the entered password with the stored hash. This function ensures the password matches the hash without exposing the actual password.
Authentication Outcome:
If the password verification is successful, you can consider the user authenticated. Create a session or issue a token to maintain the user’s login BEB Directory state across different pages. If the password verification fails or the email is not found in the database, display an error message on the login form to inform the user that their login attempt was unsuccessful.
Protecting Against SQL Injection:
To prevent SQL injection attacks, always use prepared statements or parameterized queries when interacting with the database. This practice ensures that user input is properly sanitized before being included in SQL queries. Consider adding a password reset feature. When a user forgets their password, they can initiate a reset process. This process usually involves sending a password reset link to their registered email.
