What measures would you take to ensure that a script handles data securely, especially when connecting to databases and APIs?

To secure a script that interacts with databases and APIs, I would: 1) Use environment variables or a secrets manager to store credentials, never hard‑coding them. 2) Employ parameterized queries or ORM methods to prevent SQL injection. 3) Enable TLS/SSL for all network connections, verifying server certificates. 4) Apply the principle of least privilege, granting the script only the permissions it needs. 5) Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit, using libraries like PyCryptodome or built‑in DB encryption. 6) Validate and sanitize all external input to guard against injection and malformed data. 7) Log authentication attempts and errors without exposing secrets, and rotate credentials regularly. 8) Use API keys or OAuth tokens with scopes limited to required actions, and store them securely. 9) Perform regular security reviews and static analysis to catch vulnerabilities early. These steps collectively reduce the attack surface and protect data integrity and confidentiality.