diff --git a/proto/milpacs.proto b/proto/milpacs.proto
index 13e7fcb..2a6765c 100644
--- a/proto/milpacs.proto
+++ b/proto/milpacs.proto
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import "google/protobuf/empty.proto";
 // These annotations are used when generating the OpenAPI file.
 option (grpc.gateway.protoc_gen_openapiv2.options.openapiv2_swagger) = {
   info: {
-    version: "1.7.4";
+    version: "2.0.0";
   };
   external_docs: {
     url: "https://github.com/7cav/api";
diff --git a/servers/grpc/authentication.go b/servers/grpc/authentication.go
index 6f4f64c..69f4b06 100644
--- a/servers/grpc/authentication.go
+++ b/servers/grpc/authentication.go
@@ -20,11 +20,8 @@ package grpc
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"crypto/tls"
-	"crypto/x509"
-	"net/http"
+	"crypto/subtle"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
 
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
@@ -32,81 +29,37 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
 
-const authServerURL = "https://auth.7cav.us/auth/realms/7cav/check?apiKey="
+func NewAuthInterceptor(secret string) grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, req any, info *grpc.UnaryServerInfo, handler grpc.UnaryHandler) (any, error) {
+		md, ok := metadata.FromIncomingContext(ctx)
+		if !ok {
+			// You can use your global logger here if accessible, or fmt
+			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "missing metadata")
+		}
 
-func ValidateToken(ctx context.Context, req interface{}, info *grpc.UnaryServerInfo, handler grpc.UnaryHandler) (interface{}, error) {
-	Info.Println("Checking metadata")
+		authHeaders := md.Get("authorization")
+		if len(authHeaders) < 1 {
+			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "missing authorization token")
+		}
 
-	md, ok := metadata.FromIncomingContext(ctx)
-	if !ok {
-		Warn.Println("Unauthorized: No metadata found")
-		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "missing metadata")
-	}
+		authHeader := strings.TrimSpace(authHeaders[0])
 
-	authHeaders := md.Get("authorization")
-	if len(authHeaders) < 1 {
-		Warn.Println("Unauthorized: Missing authorization header")
-		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "missing authorization token")
-	}
+		// Pass the baked-in secret to the check
+		if !isValidToken(authHeader, secret) {
+			// logic to log warning if needed
+			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "invalid token")
+		}
 
-	authHeader := strings.TrimSpace(authHeaders[0])
-	if !isValidToken(authHeader) {
-		Warn.Printf("Unauthorized attempt on method %s", info.FullMethod)
-		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Unauthenticated, "invalid token")
+		return handler(ctx, req)
 	}
-
-	return handler(ctx, req)
 }
 
-func isValidToken(authHeader string) bool {
+func isValidToken(authHeader, secret string) bool {
 	token := strings.TrimPrefix(authHeader, "Bearer ")
 	if token == "" {
-		Warn.Println("Empty token provided")
 		return false
 	}
-	if !isPrintableASCII(token) {
-		Warn.Println("Token contains non-printable ASCII")
-		return false
-	}
-
-	config, err := loadTLSConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		Warn.Printf("Failed to load TLS config: %v", err)
-		return false
-	}
-
-	client := &http.Client{
-		Transport: &http.Transport{TLSClientConfig: config},
-		Timeout:   5 * time.Second,
-	}
-	res, err := client.Get(authServerURL + token)
-	if err != nil {
-		Warn.Printf("Auth server unreachable: %v", err)
-		return false
-	}
-	defer func() {
-		if err := res.Body.Close(); err != nil {
-			Warn.Printf("Error closing response body: %v", err)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	return res.StatusCode == http.StatusOK
-}
-
-func loadTLSConfig() (*tls.Config, error) {
-	rootCAs, err := x509.SystemCertPool()
-	if err != nil {
-		Warn.Printf("Could not load system CA pool: %v", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return &tls.Config{RootCAs: rootCAs}, nil
-}
-
-func isPrintableASCII(s string) bool {
-	for _, r := range s {
-		if r < 32 || r > 126 {
-			return false
-		}
-	}
-	return true
-}
+	
+	// Compare the token against the secret passed from startup
+	return subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(token), []byte(secret)) == 1
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/servers/server.go b/servers/server.go
index 5148e7f..262e5a0 100644
--- a/servers/server.go
+++ b/servers/server.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
-const version = "1.7.6"
+const version = "2.0.0"
 
 type MicroServer struct {
 	addr       string
@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ var (
 	Error = log.New(os.Stdout, "ERROR: ", log.LstdFlags)
 )
 
+func setupAuth() string {
+    secret := viper.GetString("API_SECRET")
+    if secret == "" {
+        // It is critical to fail fast if this is missing
+        Error.Println("CRITICAL: API_SECRET is not set in environment/config")
+        os.Exit(1)
+    }
+    return secret
+}
+
 func setupRedis() *cache.RedisCache {
 	redisHost := viper.GetString("REDIS_HOST")
 	if redisHost == "" {
@@ -135,6 +145,7 @@ func (server *MicroServer) Start() {
 		Error.Fatalf("Failed to listen on %s: %w", server.addr, err)
 	}
 
+	apiSecret := setupAuth()
 	ds := setupDatasource()
 	server.cache = setupRedis()
 	go cache.CacheManager(server.cache, ds)
@@ -144,7 +155,7 @@ func (server *MicroServer) Start() {
 	// 		 If this needed to change in the future, then we will need to refactor this method
 	opts := []grpc.ServerOption{
 		// Intercept request to check the token.
-		grpc.UnaryInterceptor(grpcServices.ValidateToken),
+		grpc.UnaryInterceptor(grpcServices.NewAuthInterceptor(apiSecret)),
 		//grpc.Creds(creds),
 	}