HTTP Basic Auth Header Regex for PHP

What this pattern does

This page provides a well-structured, multi-part regular expression for matching http basic auth header, ported and verified for PHP. A rigorously tested regex reduces debugging time and protects your application from edge-case failures. The snippet below is ready to drop into your PHP project — whether you're validating in a Laravel validator, a WordPress plugin, or a standalone PHP script.

Php Implementation

<?php
// HTTP Basic Auth Header
// ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Web & Network > HTTP

define('HTTP_BASIC_AUTH_HEADER_PATTERN', '/^Basic ([A-Za-z0-9+\/]{4})*([A-Za-z0-9+\/]{2}==|[A-Za-z0-9+\/]{3}=)?$/');

function validate_http_basic_auth_header(string $input): bool {
    return (bool) preg_match(HTTP_BASIC_AUTH_HEADER_PATTERN, $input);
}

// Example
var_dump(validate_http_basic_auth_header("Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz")); // bool(true)

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Web & Network > HTTP category and carries a ReDoS-safe certification. That matters for PHP developers because especially relevant in PHP where PCRE backtracking limits can trigger silent failures on malicious input. RegexVault audits patterns against known backtracking attack vectors, ensuring you have the necessary context before using this regex in a high-stakes production environment.

Common Pitfalls

Technical Notes

Capture group 2 or 3 contains the base64 credentials. Decode to extract username:password — the colon is the delimiter. Never log decoded Basic Auth credentials.