diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8505911b..bfde49ad7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Mailpit is inspired by [MailHog](#why-rewrite-mailhog), but much, much faster.
 - SMTP server (default `0.0.0.0:1025`)
 - Web UI to view emails (HTML format, text, source and MIME attachments, default `0.0.0.0:8025`)
 - Real-time web UI updates using web sockets for new mail
+- Optional basic authentication for web UI (see [wiki](https://github.com/axllent/mailpit/wiki/Basic-authentication))
 - Email storage in either memory or disk (using [CloverDB](https://github.com/ostafen/clover)) - note that in-memory has a physical limit of 1MB per email
 - Configurable automatic email pruning (default keeps the most recent 500 emails)
 - Fast SMTP processing & storing - approximately 300-600 emails per second depending on CPU, network speed & email size
@@ -22,8 +23,6 @@ Mailpit is inspired by [MailHog](#why-rewrite-mailhog), but much, much faster.
 ## Planned features
 
 - Optional HTTPS for web UI
-- Optional basic authentication for web UI
-- Optional authentication for SMTP
 - Browser notifications for new mail (HTTPS only)
 - Docker container
 
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 5039746e0..8b662bd24 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -77,10 +77,14 @@ func init() {
 	if len(os.Getenv("MP_MAX_MESSAGES")) > 0 {
 		config.MaxMessages, _ = strconv.Atoi(os.Getenv("MP_MAX_MESSAGES"))
 	}
+	if len(os.Getenv("MP_AUTH_FILE")) > 0 {
+		config.AuthFile = os.Getenv("MP_AUTH_FILE")
+	}
 
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&config.DataDir, "data", "d", config.DataDir, "Optional path to store peristent data")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&config.SMTPListen, "smtp", "s", config.SMTPListen, "SMTP bind interface and port")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&config.HTTPListen, "listen", "l", config.HTTPListen, "HTTP bind interface and port for UI")
 	rootCmd.Flags().IntVarP(&config.MaxMessages, "max", "m", config.MaxMessages, "Max number of messages per mailbox")
+	rootCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&config.AuthFile, "-auth-file", "a", config.AuthFile, "A username:bcryptpw mapping file")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&config.VerboseLogging, "verbose", "v", false, "Verbose logging")
 }
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index c2eeb4dbc..de03eeab8 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package config
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"regexp"
+
+	"github.com/tg123/go-htpasswd"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -21,13 +23,19 @@ var (
 	// VerboseLogging for console output
 	VerboseLogging = false
 
-	// NoLogging for testing
+	// NoLogging for tests
 	NoLogging = false
 
 	// SSLCert @TODO
 	SSLCert string
 	// SSLKey @TODO
 	SSLKey string
+
+	// AuthFile for basic authentication
+	AuthFile string
+
+	// Auth used for euthentication
+	Auth *htpasswd.File
 )
 
 // VerifyConfig wil do some basic checking
@@ -40,5 +48,13 @@ func VerifyConfig() error {
 		return errors.New("HTTP bind should be in the format of <ip>:<port>")
 	}
 
+	if AuthFile != "" {
+		a, err := htpasswd.New(AuthFile, htpasswd.DefaultSystems, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		Auth = a
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 3f666fe8a..bdf7a077d 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ require (
 	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.0
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.5.0
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
+	github.com/tg123/go-htpasswd v1.2.0
 )
 
 require (
+	github.com/GehirnInc/crypt v0.0.0-20200316065508-bb7000b8a962 // indirect
 	github.com/cention-sany/utf7 v0.0.0-20170124080048-26cad61bd60a // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.1.2 // indirect
@@ -45,8 +47,9 @@ require (
 	github.com/vmihailenco/msgpack/v5 v5.3.5 // indirect
 	github.com/vmihailenco/tagparser/v2 v2.0.0 // indirect
 	go.opencensus.io v0.23.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220728211354-c7608f3a8462 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220728004956-3c1f35247d10 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa // indirect
+	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220802222814-0bcc04d9c69b // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220803195053-6e608f9ce704 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.3.7 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.28.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a9d33be0f..ad6e1e6a5 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 cloud.google.com/go v0.26.0/go.mod h1:aQUYkXzVsufM+DwF1aE+0xfcU+56JwCaLick0ClmMTw=
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1/go.mod h1:xHWCNGjB5oqiDr8zfno3MHue2Ht5sIBksp03qcyfWMU=
+github.com/GehirnInc/crypt v0.0.0-20200316065508-bb7000b8a962 h1:KeNholpO2xKjgaaSyd+DyQRrsQjhbSeS7qe4nEw8aQw=
+github.com/GehirnInc/crypt v0.0.0-20200316065508-bb7000b8a962/go.mod h1:kC29dT1vFpj7py2OvG1khBdQpo3kInWP+6QipLbdngo=
 github.com/OneOfOne/xxhash v1.2.2 h1:KMrpdQIwFcEqXDklaen+P1axHaj9BSKzvpUUfnHldSE=
 github.com/OneOfOne/xxhash v1.2.2/go.mod h1:HSdplMjZKSmBqAxg5vPj2TmRDmfkzw+cTzAElWljhcU=
 github.com/armon/consul-api v0.0.0-20180202201655-eb2c6b5be1b6/go.mod h1:grANhF5doyWs3UAsr3K4I6qtAmlQcZDesFNEHPZAzj8=
@@ -175,6 +177,8 @@ github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.1/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/h/Wwjteg=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.2 h1:4jaiDzPyXQvSd7D0EjG45355tLlV3VOECpq10pLC+8s=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.2/go.mod h1:R6va5+xMeoiuVRoj+gSkQ7d3FALtqAAGI1FQKckRals=
+github.com/tg123/go-htpasswd v1.2.0 h1:UKp34m9H467/xklxUxU15wKRru7fwXoTojtxg25ITF0=
+github.com/tg123/go-htpasswd v1.2.0/go.mod h1:h7IzlfpvIWnVJhNZ0nQ9HaFxHb7pn5uFJYLlEUJa2sM=
 github.com/ugorji/go/codec v0.0.0-20181204163529-d75b2dcb6bc8/go.mod h1:VFNgLljTbGfSG7qAOspJ7OScBnGdDN/yBr0sguwnwf0=
 github.com/vmihailenco/msgpack/v5 v5.3.5 h1:5gO0H1iULLWGhs2H5tbAHIZTV8/cYafcFOr9znI5mJU=
 github.com/vmihailenco/msgpack/v5 v5.3.5/go.mod h1:7xyJ9e+0+9SaZT0Wt1RGleJXzli6Q/V5KbhBonMG9jc=
@@ -187,9 +191,12 @@ go.opencensus.io v0.22.5/go.mod h1:5pWMHQbX5EPX2/62yrJeAkowc+lfs/XD7Uxpq3pI6kk=
 go.opencensus.io v0.23.0 h1:gqCw0LfLxScz8irSi8exQc7fyQ0fKQU/qnC/X8+V/1M=
 go.opencensus.io v0.23.0/go.mod h1:XItmlyltB5F7CS4xOC1DcqMoFqwtC6OG2xF7mCv7P7E=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20181203042331-505ab145d0a9/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190228161510-8dd112bcdc25/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20191011191535-87dc89f01550/go.mod h1:yigFU9vqHzYiE8UmvKecakEJjdnWj3jj499lnFckfCI=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200622213623-75b288015ac9/go.mod h1:LzIPMQfyMNhhGPhUkYOs5KpL4U8rLKemX1yGLhDgUto=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa h1:zuSxTR4o9y82ebqCUJYNGJbGPo6sKVl54f/TVDObg1c=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa/go.mod h1:IxCIyHEi3zRg3s0A5j5BB6A9Jmi73HwBIUl50j+osU4=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20190121172915-509febef88a4/go.mod h1:CJ0aWSM057203Lf6IL+f9T1iT9GByDxfZKAQTCR3kQA=
 golang.org/x/lint v0.0.0-20181026193005-c67002cb31c3/go.mod h1:UVdnD1Gm6xHRNCYTkRU2/jEulfH38KcIWyp/GAMgvoE=
 golang.org/x/lint v0.0.0-20190227174305-5b3e6a55c961/go.mod h1:wehouNa3lNwaWXcvxsM5YxQ5yQlVC4a0KAMCusXpPoU=
@@ -206,8 +213,9 @@ golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200226121028-0de0cce0169b/go.mod h1:z5CRVTTTmAJ677TzLL
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20201021035429-f5854403a974/go.mod h1:sp8m0HH+o8qH0wwXwYZr8TS3Oi6o0r6Gce1SSxlDquU=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20201110031124-69a78807bb2b/go.mod h1:sp8m0HH+o8qH0wwXwYZr8TS3Oi6o0r6Gce1SSxlDquU=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20210501142056-aec3718b3fa0/go.mod h1:OJAsFXCWl8Ukc7SiCT/9KSuxbyM7479/AVlXFRxuMCk=
-golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220728211354-c7608f3a8462 h1:UreQrH7DbFXSi9ZFox6FNT3WBooWmdANpU+IfkT1T4I=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220728211354-c7608f3a8462/go.mod h1:YDH+HFinaLZZlnHAfSS6ZXJJ9M9t4Dl22yv3iI2vPwk=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220802222814-0bcc04d9c69b h1:3ogNYyK4oIQdIKzTu68hQrr4iuVxF3AxKl9Aj/eDrw0=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220802222814-0bcc04d9c69b/go.mod h1:YDH+HFinaLZZlnHAfSS6ZXJJ9M9t4Dl22yv3iI2vPwk=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20180821212333-d2e6202438be/go.mod h1:N/0e6XlmueqKjAGxoOufVs8QHGRruUQn6yWY3a++T0U=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20180314180146-1d60e4601c6f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
@@ -226,8 +234,9 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210124154548-22da62e12c0c/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7w
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210423082822-04245dca01da/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210615035016-665e8c7367d1/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220715151400-c0bba94af5f8/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220728004956-3c1f35247d10 h1:WIoqL4EROvwiPdUtaip4VcDdpZ4kha7wBWZrbVKCIZg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220728004956-3c1f35247d10/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220803195053-6e608f9ce704 h1:Y7NOhdqIOU8kYI7BxsgL38d0ot0raxvcW+EMQU2QrT4=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220803195053-6e608f9ce704/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index cd83c674f..a6bb4c9ec 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -34,18 +34,17 @@ func Listen() {
 	go websockets.MessageHub.Run()
 
 	r := mux.NewRouter()
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/mailboxes", gzipHandlerFunc(apiListMailboxes))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/messages", gzipHandlerFunc(apiListMailbox))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/search", gzipHandlerFunc(apiSearchMailbox))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/delete", gzipHandlerFunc(apiDeleteAll))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/mailboxes", middleWareFunc(apiListMailboxes))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/messages", middleWareFunc(apiListMailbox))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/search", middleWareFunc(apiSearchMailbox))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/delete", middleWareFunc(apiDeleteAll))
 	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/events", apiWebsocket)
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/source", gzipHandlerFunc(apiDownloadSource))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/part/{partID}", gzipHandlerFunc(apiDownloadAttachment))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/delete", gzipHandlerFunc(apiDeleteOne))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/unread", gzipHandlerFunc(apiUnreadOne))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}", gzipHandlerFunc(apiOpenMessage))
-	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/search", gzipHandlerFunc(apiSearchMailbox))
-	r.PathPrefix("/").Handler(gzipHandler(http.FileServer(http.FS(serverRoot))))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/source", middleWareFunc(apiDownloadSource))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/part/{partID}", middleWareFunc(apiDownloadAttachment))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/delete", middleWareFunc(apiDeleteOne))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}/unread", middleWareFunc(apiUnreadOne))
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/{mailbox}/{id}", middleWareFunc(apiOpenMessage))
+	r.PathPrefix("/").Handler(middlewareHandler(http.FileServer(http.FS(serverRoot))))
 	http.Handle("/", r)
 
 	if config.SSLCert != "" && config.SSLKey != "" {
@@ -55,7 +54,13 @@ func Listen() {
 		logger.Log().Infof("[http] starting server on http://%s", config.HTTPListen)
 		log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(config.HTTPListen, nil))
 	}
+}
 
+// BasicAuthResponse returns an basic auth response to the browser
+func basicAuthResponse(w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", `Basic realm="Login"`)
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	w.Write([]byte("Unauthorised.\n"))
 }
 
 type gzipResponseWriter struct {
@@ -67,9 +72,24 @@ func (w gzipResponseWriter) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return w.Writer.Write(b)
 }
 
-// GzipHandlerFunc http middleware
-func gzipHandlerFunc(fn http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
+// MiddleWareFunc http middleware adds optional basic authentication
+// and gzip compression.
+func middleWareFunc(fn http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if config.AuthFile != "" {
+			user, pass, ok := r.BasicAuth()
+
+			if !ok {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+
+			if !config.Auth.Match(user, pass) {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
 		if !strings.Contains(r.Header.Get("Accept-Encoding"), "gzip") {
 			fn(w, r)
 			return
@@ -82,8 +102,25 @@ func gzipHandlerFunc(fn http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
 	}
 }
 
-func gzipHandler(h http.Handler) http.Handler {
+// MiddlewareHandler http middleware adds optional basic authentication
+// and gzip compression
+func middlewareHandler(h http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+
+		if config.AuthFile != "" {
+			user, pass, ok := r.BasicAuth()
+
+			if !ok {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+
+			if !config.Auth.Match(user, pass) {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
 		if !strings.Contains(r.Header.Get("Accept-Encoding"), "gzip") {
 			h.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 			return
@@ -95,14 +132,14 @@ func gzipHandler(h http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-// FourOFour returns a standard 404 meesage
+// FourOFour returns a basic 404 message
 func fourOFour(w http.ResponseWriter) {
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/plain")
 	fmt.Fprint(w, "404 page not found")
 }
 
-// HTTPError returns a standard 404 meesage
+// HTTPError returns a basic error message (400 response)
 func httpError(w http.ResponseWriter, msg string) {
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/plain")
diff --git a/server/websockets/client.go b/server/websockets/client.go
index 43f4e3ff4..19efedef1 100644
--- a/server/websockets/client.go
+++ b/server/websockets/client.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/axllent/mailpit/config"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 )
 
@@ -52,32 +53,6 @@ type Client struct {
 	send chan []byte
 }
 
-// // readPump pumps messages from the websocket connection to the hub.
-// //
-// // The application runs readPump in a per-connection goroutine. The application
-// // ensures that there is at most one reader on a connection by executing all
-// // reads from this goroutine.
-// func (c *Client) readPump() {
-// 	defer func() {
-// 		c.hub.unregister <- c
-// 		c.conn.Close()
-// 	}()
-// 	c.conn.SetReadLimit(maxMessageSize)
-// 	c.conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(pongWait))
-// 	c.conn.SetPongHandler(func(string) error { c.conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(pongWait)); return nil })
-// 	for {
-// 		_, message, err := c.conn.ReadMessage()
-// 		if err != nil {
-// 			if websocket.IsUnexpectedCloseError(err, websocket.CloseGoingAway) {
-// 				log.Printf("error: %v", err)
-// 			}
-// 			break
-// 		}
-// 		message = bytes.TrimSpace(bytes.Replace(message, newline, space, -1))
-// 		c.hub.Broadcast <- message
-// 	}
-// }
-
 // writePump pumps messages from the hub to the websocket connection.
 //
 // A goroutine running writePump is started for each connection. The
@@ -124,16 +99,39 @@ func (c *Client) writePump() {
 
 // ServeWs handles websocket requests from the peer.
 func ServeWs(hub *Hub, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if config.AuthFile != "" {
+		if config.AuthFile != "" {
+			user, pass, ok := r.BasicAuth()
+
+			if !ok {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+
+			if !config.Auth.Match(user, pass) {
+				basicAuthResponse(w)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	conn, err := upgrader.Upgrade(w, r, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Println(err)
 		return
 	}
+
 	client := &Client{hub: hub, conn: conn, send: make(chan []byte, 256)}
 	client.hub.register <- client
 
 	// Allow collection of memory referenced by the caller by doing all work in
 	// new goroutines.
 	go client.writePump()
-	// go client.readPump()
+}
+
+// BasicAuthResponse returns an basic auth response to the browser
+func basicAuthResponse(w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", `Basic realm="Login"`)
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	w.Write([]byte("Unauthorised.\n"))
 }