diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 7583390..1a0923e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       MONGO_URI: mongodb://mongodb:27017/photogallery
       WATERMARK_URL: http://watermarker:8000/watermark
+      ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${MAIN_ADMIN_PASSWORD}
     volumes:
       - ./main-site/photo-gallery-app/backend/uploads:/usr/src/app/uploads
     depends_on:
@@ -54,8 +55,6 @@ services:
   mongodb:
     image: mongo:latest
     container_name: bpb-mongodb
-    ports:
-      - "27017:27017"
     volumes:
       - ./mongodb_data:/data/db
     restart: always
diff --git a/main-site/admin/admin.js b/main-site/admin/admin.js
index b2f3de8..42933de 100644
--- a/main-site/admin/admin.js
+++ b/main-site/admin/admin.js
@@ -344,13 +344,15 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
                 method: 'POST',
                 headers: {
                     'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                    'Authorization': `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}`,
                 },
                 body: JSON.stringify(updatedPhoto)
             });
 
+            if (response.status === 401) { handleUnauthorized(); return; }
             if (response.ok) {
                 closeEditModal();
-                fetchPhotos(); // Refresh the gallery
+                fetchPhotos();
                 fetchTagMeta();
             } else {
                 alert('Failed to save changes.');
@@ -364,7 +366,10 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
     async function deletePhoto(id) {
         if (confirm('Are you sure you want to delete this photo?')) {
             try {
-                await fetch(`${backendUrl}/photos/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
+                await fetch(`${backendUrl}/photos/${id}`, {
+                    method: 'DELETE',
+                    headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}` }
+                });
                 fetchPhotos();
             } catch (error) {
                 console.error('Error deleting photo:', error);
@@ -392,7 +397,10 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
 
         confirmBulkDeleteBtn.classList.add('is-loading');
         try {
-            await Promise.all(ids.map(id => fetch(`${backendUrl}/photos/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' })));
+            await Promise.all(ids.map(id => fetch(`${backendUrl}/photos/${id}`, {
+                method: 'DELETE',
+                headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}` }
+            })));
             clearSelection();
             fetchPhotos();
             closeBulkDeleteModal();
@@ -449,7 +457,10 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
                 };
                 await fetch(`${backendUrl}/photos/update/${id}`, {
                     method: 'POST',
-                    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+                    headers: {
+                        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                        'Authorization': `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}`,
+                    },
                     body: JSON.stringify(payload)
                 });
             }));
@@ -613,7 +624,8 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         });
 
         xhr.open('POST', `${backendUrl}/photos/upload`);
-        
+        xhr.setRequestHeader('Authorization', `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}`);
+
         uploadButton.classList.add('is-loading');
         uploadProgress.style.display = 'block';
         xhr.send(formData);
@@ -758,11 +770,17 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
             const response = await fetch('/api/update-status', {
                 method: 'POST',
                 headers: {
-                    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+                    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                    'Authorization': `Bearer ${getAdminPassword()}`,
                 },
                 body: JSON.stringify({ data })
             });
 
+            if (response.status === 401) {
+                handleUnauthorized();
+                return;
+            }
+
             const result = await response.json();
 
             if (result.success) {
diff --git a/main-site/photo-gallery-app/backend/routes/photos.js b/main-site/photo-gallery-app/backend/routes/photos.js
index c4c4536..399a05a 100644
--- a/main-site/photo-gallery-app/backend/routes/photos.js
+++ b/main-site/photo-gallery-app/backend/routes/photos.js
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ const {
 } = require('../lib/tagConfig');
 
 const WATERMARK_URL = process.env.WATERMARK_URL || 'http://watermarker:8000/watermark';
+const ADMIN_PASSWORD = process.env.ADMIN_PASSWORD || '';
+
+function requireAuth(req, res, next) {
+    const auth = req.headers['authorization'] || '';
+    const token = auth.startsWith('Bearer ') ? auth.slice(7) : '';
+    if (!token || !ADMIN_PASSWORD || token !== ADMIN_PASSWORD) {
+        return res.status(401).json({ success: false, error: 'Unauthorized' });
+    }
+    next();
+}
 // We now use a visible diagonal watermark only. Invisible watermarking is disabled by default.
 const DISABLE_WM = true;
 
@@ -110,7 +120,7 @@ const parseIncomingTags = (tagsInput) => {
 };
 
 // POST new photo(s) with WebP conversion + duplicate hash checks
-router.route('/upload').post(upload.array('photos'), async (req, res) => {
+router.route('/upload').post(requireAuth, upload.array('photos'), async (req, res) => {
     const files = (req.files && req.files.length) ? req.files : (req.file ? [req.file] : []);
     if (!files.length) {
         return res.status(400).json({ success: false, error: 'No file uploaded. Please select at least one file.' });
@@ -343,7 +353,7 @@ router.route('/:id').get((req, res) => {
 });
 
 // DELETE a photo by ID
-router.route('/:id').delete((req, res) => {
+router.route('/:id').delete(requireAuth, (req, res) => {
     console.log('DELETE request received for photo ID:', req.params.id);
     console.log('Request headers:', req.headers);
     console.log('Request IP:', req.ip);
@@ -369,7 +379,7 @@ router.route('/:id').delete((req, res) => {
 });
 
 // UPDATE a photo by ID
-router.route('/update/:id').post((req, res) => {
+router.route('/update/:id').post(requireAuth, (req, res) => {
     Photo.findById(req.params.id)
         .then(photo => {
             const incomingCaption = req.body.caption;
diff --git a/main-site/server.js b/main-site/server.js
index 202eb5d..25dfb06 100644
--- a/main-site/server.js
+++ b/main-site/server.js
@@ -35,7 +35,16 @@ app.use(bodyParser.json());
 // --- API Routes ---
 const apiRouter = express.Router();
 
-apiRouter.post('/update-status', (req, res) => {
+function requireAuth(req, res, next) {
+    const auth = req.headers['authorization'] || '';
+    const token = auth.startsWith('Bearer ') ? auth.slice(7) : '';
+    if (!token || token !== ADMIN_PASSWORD) {
+        return res.status(401).json({ success: false, message: 'Unauthorized' });
+    }
+    next();
+}
+
+apiRouter.post('/update-status', requireAuth, (req, res) => {
     console.log(`[${new Date().toISOString()}] Received request for /api/update-status`);
     const { data } = req.body;