diff --git a/ui/controllers/auth.go b/ui/controllers/auth.go
index 0051d58..a56f7d8 100644
--- a/ui/controllers/auth.go
+++ b/ui/controllers/auth.go
@@ -70,11 +70,17 @@ func SignUpHandler (c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	now := time.Now().Unix()
+	exp := time.Now().Add(12 * time.Hour).Unix()
 	//build jwt
 	token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256,
-		jwt.MapClaims{
-			"sub": user.UserId,
-			"exp": time.Now().Add(12 * time.Hour).Unix(),
+		AuthClaims{
+			Subject:   user.UserId,
+			Expires:   exp,
+			IssuedAt:  now,
+			NotBefore: now,
+			Issuer:    "capstone.preston-baxter.com",
+			Audience:  "capstone.preston-baxter.com",
 		},
 	)
 
@@ -132,11 +138,17 @@ func LoginHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	now := time.Now().Unix()
+	exp := time.Now().Add(12 * time.Hour).Unix()
 	//build jwt
 	token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256,
-		jwt.MapClaims{
-			"sub": user.UserId,
-			"exp": time.Now().Add(12 * time.Hour).Unix(),
+		AuthClaims{
+			Subject:   user.UserId,
+			Expires:   exp,
+			IssuedAt:  now,
+			NotBefore: now,
+			Issuer:    "capstone.preston-baxter.com",
+			Audience:  "capstone.preston-baxter.com",
 		},
 	)
 
diff --git a/ui/controllers/auth_middleware.go b/ui/controllers/auth_middleware.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1595007
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/controllers/auth_middleware.go
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+package controllers
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.preston-baxter.com/Preston_PLB/capstone/frontend-service/config"
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+	"github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5"
+)
+
+type AuthClaims struct {
+	Subject   string `json:"sub"`
+	Expires   int64  `json:"exp"`
+	IssuedAt  int64  `json:"iat"`
+	NotBefore int64  `json:"nbf"`
+	Issuer    string `json:"iss"`
+	Audience  string `json:"aud"`
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetExpirationTime() (*jwt.NumericDate, error) {
+	time := time.Unix(claims.Expires, 0)
+	return jwt.NewNumericDate(time), nil
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetIssuedAt() (*jwt.NumericDate, error) {
+	time := time.Unix(claims.IssuedAt, 0)
+	return jwt.NewNumericDate(time), nil
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetNotBefore() (*jwt.NumericDate, error) {
+	time := time.Unix(claims.NotBefore, 0)
+	return jwt.NewNumericDate(time), nil
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetIssuer() (string, error) {
+	return claims.Issuer, nil
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetSubject() (string, error) {
+	return claims.Subject, nil
+}
+
+func (claims AuthClaims) GetAudience() (jwt.ClaimStrings, error) {
+	return []string{claims.Subject}, nil
+}
+
+func AuthMiddleware(strict bool) gin.HandlerFunc {
+	conf := config.Config()
+	return func(c *gin.Context) {
+		//check for cookie
+		token, err := c.Cookie("authorization")
+		if err != nil {
+			if err == http.ErrNoCookie {
+				if strict {
+					c.Redirect(301, "/login")
+					return
+				} else {
+					return
+				}
+			} else {
+				log.WithError(err).Error("Unable to get cookie from browser")
+				c.AbortWithError(504, err)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		claims := &AuthClaims{}
+
+		parsedToken, err := jwt.ParseWithClaims(token, claims, func(token *jwt.Token) (any, error) {
+			return []byte(conf.JwtSecret), nil
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			if err == jwt.ErrSignatureInvalid {
+				log.Warn("Redirecting, jwt invalid")
+				c.Redirect(301, "/login")
+				return
+			}
+			log.WithError(err).Error("Unable to get cookie from browser")
+			c.AbortWithError(504, err)
+			return
+		}
+		if !parsedToken.Valid  {
+			if strict {
+				log.Warn("Redirecting, jwt invalid")
+				c.Redirect(301, "/login")
+				return
+			} else {
+				log.Warn("Jwt is invalid, but auth is not strict")
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		user, err := mongo.FindUserById(claims.Subject)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.WithError(err).Errorf("Unable to get user: %s from DB", claims.Subject)
+			c.AbortWithError(504, err)
+		}
+
+		if user == nil {
+			log.Errorf("Unable to find user: %s in DB", claims.Subject)
+			c.AbortWithError(504, nil)
+		}
+
+		c.Set("UserObj", user)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/ui/controllers/controllers.go b/ui/controllers/controllers.go
index 010c9c1..429886d 100644
--- a/ui/controllers/controllers.go
+++ b/ui/controllers/controllers.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package controllers
 import (
 	"git.preston-baxter.com/Preston_PLB/capstone/frontend-service/config"
 	"git.preston-baxter.com/Preston_PLB/capstone/frontend-service/db"
-	"git.preston-baxter.com/Preston_PLB/capstone/frontend-service/middleware"
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
@@ -25,16 +24,16 @@ func BuildRouter(r *gin.Engine) {
 		ForceColors:               true,
 	})
 
-	r.GET("/", middleware.AuthMiddleware(false) ,LandingPage)
-	r.GET("/login", middleware.AuthMiddleware(false), LoginPage)
-	r.GET("/signup", middleware.AuthMiddleware(false), SignUpPage)
+	r.GET("/", LandingPage)
+	r.GET("/login", AuthMiddleware(false), LoginPage)
+	r.GET("/signup",AuthMiddleware(false), SignUpPage)
 
 	r.POST("/login", LoginHandler)
 	r.POST("/signup", SignUpHandler)
 	r.POST("/logout", LogoutHandler)
 
 	dashboard := r.Group("/dashboard")
-	dashboard.Use(middleware.AuthMiddleware(true))
+	dashboard.Use(AuthMiddleware(true))
 	dashboard.GET("/", DashboardPage)
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/middleware/auth.go b/ui/middleware/auth.go
deleted file mode 100644
index b1642a7..0000000
--- a/ui/middleware/auth.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-package middleware
-
-import (
-	//"git.preston-baxter.com/Preston_PLB/capstone/frontend-service/config"
-	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-)
-
-func AuthMiddleware(strict bool) gin.HandlerFunc {
-	//conf := config.Config();
-	return func(c *gin.Context) {
-		//check for cookie
-
-		/*
-			no cookie:
-			if strict
-				route login
-			else:
-				continue with nil auth_user
-		*/
-
-		/*
-			cookie:
-			validate jwt:
-			if valid:
-				set context with auth_user
-			else:
-				if strict
-					route login
-				else:
-					continue with nil auth_user
-
-		*/
-	}
-}