host = $host; $this->user = $user; $this->password = $password; } } $db = new database1('localhost', 'user', 'secret'); echo 'Unprotected, dump all, host, user and password info
'; // var_dump($db); print_r($db); echo '

'; class database2 { protected $host; protected $user; protected $password; function __construct($host, $user, $password) { $this->host = $host; $this->user = $user; $this->password = $password; } function __debugInfo() { return array( 'host' => $this->host, ); } } $db = new database2('localhost', 'user', 'secret'); echo 'Protected using __debugInfo, not dump user and password info
'; //var_dump($db); print_r($db);

Using __debugInfo to control output of var_dump / print_r