If you want to change the session id on each log in, make sure to use session_regenerate_id(true) during the log in process.
<?php
session_start();
session_regenerate_id(true);
?>
[Edited by moderator (googleguy at php dot net)]
(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)
session_destroy — Destroys all data registered to a session
session_destroy() destroys all of the data associated with the current session. It does not unset any of the global variables associated with the session, or unset the session cookie. To use the session variables again, session_start() has to be called.
In order to kill the session altogether, like to log the user out, the session id must also be unset. If a cookie is used to propagate the session id (default behavior), then the session cookie must be deleted. setcookie() may be used for that.
Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.
Example #1 Destroying a session with $_SESSION
<?php
// Initialize the session.
// If you are using session_name("something"), don't forget it now!
session_start();
// Unset all of the session variables.
$_SESSION = array();
// If it's desired to kill the session, also delete the session cookie.
// Note: This will destroy the session, and not just the session data!
if (ini_get("session.use_cookies")) {
$params = session_get_cookie_params();
setcookie(session_name(), '', time() - 42000,
$params["path"], $params["domain"],
$params["secure"], $params["httponly"]
);
}
// Finally, destroy the session.
session_destroy();
?>
Note:
Only use session_unset() for older deprecated code that does not use $_SESSION.
If you want to change the session id on each log in, make sure to use session_regenerate_id(true) during the log in process.
<?php
session_start();
session_regenerate_id(true);
?>
[Edited by moderator (googleguy at php dot net)]
It took me a while to figure out how to destroy a particular session in php. Note I'm not sure if solution provided below is perfect but it seems work for me. Please feel free to post any easier way to destroy a particular session. Because it's quite useful for functionality of force an user offline.
1. If you're using db or memcached to manage session, you can always delete that session entry directly from db or memcached.
2. Using generic php session methods to delete a particular session(by session id).
<?php
$session_id_to_destroy = 'nill2if998vhplq9f3pj08vjb1';
// 1. commit session if it's started.
if (session_id()) {
session_commit();
}
// 2. store current session id
session_start();
$current_session_id = session_id();
session_commit();
// 3. hijack then destroy session specified.
session_id($session_id_to_destroy);
session_start();
session_destroy();
session_commit();
// 4. restore current session id. If don't restore it, your current session will refer to the session you just destroyed!
session_id($current_session_id);
session_start();
session_commit();
?>
Note that when you are using a custom session handler, session_destroy will cause a fatal error if you have set the session destroy function used by session_set_save_handler to private.
Example:
Fatal error: Call to private method Session::sessDestroy()
where sessDestroy was the function I specified in the 5th parameter of session_set_save_handler.
Even though it isn't all that desirable, the simple solution is to set sessDestroy to public.
Destroying a session from a background job
I have a thief-protection system that compares country codes from login IPs via whois. This has to run in the background as it is way too processor-hungry to be run in the browser.
What I needed was a way to destroy the web session from the background job. For some reason, a background session_destroy APPEARS to work, but doesnt't actually destroy the web session.
There is a work around, I set the username to NULL and the web code picks up on that, bouncing the user (thief) to a "gotcha" page where his IP is logged.
Yes I know its nasty and dirty, but surprisingly it works.
$sid = the session_id() of the suspicious web session, passed in $argv to the background job
The trick is to "stuff" the $_GET array with the sid, then the session_start in the background job picks this value up (as if it were a genuine trans-sid type thing...?PHPSESSID=blah) and "connects to" the web session. All $_SESSION variable can be viewed (and CHANGED , which is how this kludge works) but for some reason (that no doubt someone will illuminate) they can't be unset...setting the particular variable to NULL works well though:
$_GET[session_name()]=$sid;
session_start();
// prove we are getting the web session data
foreach($_SESSION as $k => $v) echo($k."=".$v);
// now kill the thief
$_SESSION['username']=NULL;
//web session variable now NULL - honestly!
If you want to destroy the session when it starts, don't forget to declare the session with your code because when you do that this will ensure that your session will be more effective. This also enhances the effieciency of you code.