.htaccess and image.gif as php-confusion

[Tikila]

Can anyone explain to me what is the significance of this htaccess code
#Makes image.gif, index.html, index.cgi act as php
ForceType application/x-httpd-php

Why would one want to have an image.gif act as php?
Is it not the same thing we protect against using getimagesize and other measures so images are not uploaded with php code embeded in them.?

Thank you for having a look at and sharing me your understanding of it!

[cranial-bore]

I'm not sure what benefit there is to the htaccess code you posted, but getimagesize does not definitively prove a valid image. It is possible to embed PHP in the colour palette or some such and still have a valid GIF file too.

[Tikila]

I'm not sure what benefit there is to the htaccess code you posted, but getimagesize does not definitively prove a valid image. It is possible to embed PHP in the colour palette or some such and still have a valid GIF file too.

I found that code somewhere in an Apache documentation being possible to include in an htaccess file,I am wondering of its benefit,too.
apparently,it makes any file be a certain filetype regardless of name or extension