PHP - Deserialization + Autoload Classes

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

PHP Deserialization + Autoload Classes is a process in PHP, a popular server-side scripting language. Deserialization is the reverse process of serialization, converting serialized data back into its original form. Autoloading classes in PHP is a feature that allows a class to be automatically loaded when it's first referred to in a script.

🧐 Why ?

Understanding and effectively using PHP Deserialization and Autoload Classes is crucial for PHP developers. It helps to maximize the efficiency and performance of the code. Autoloading classes eliminate the need for manual inclusion of classes, making the code cleaner and more manageable. Deserialization, on the other hand, is often used to store or pass PHP values around without losing their type and structure.

⛏️ How ?

To implement Autoload in PHP, the __autoload() or spl_autoload_register() function can be used. These functions will load a class script when the class is instantiated. For deserialization, the unserialize() function is used. It takes a single serialized variable and converts it back into a PHP value. However, care should be taken while using unserialize() function as it can lead to code vulnerabilities.

⏳ When ?

PHP introduced the __autoload() function in version 5.0.0, and the newer spl_autoload_register() function in version 5.1.2. Deserialization has been a part of PHP since its early versions.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

Serialization in PHP takes all the variables and values in a PHP object and converts it into a string representation. This is useful for storing the object or sending it to another system. Deserialization takes this string and recreates the original PHP object. PHP's Autoload Classes feature is a way to automate the process of including class files. When a class is referenced in the code and not present, PHP automatically looks for a file with the class name and includes it. This process is handled by the __autoload() or spl_autoload_register() function. However, deserialization can pose security risks. If user-supplied input is allowed to be unserialized, it can lead to potential code injections or other types of attacks.