diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2d01ab8..5747f66 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ If you are using Sprockets, add the ActiveInsights css file to manifest.js:
 //= link active_insights/application.css
 ```
 
+To use HTTP basic authentication, enable it and define a user and password:
+
+```ruby
+config.active_insights.http_basic_auth_enabled = true
+config.active_insights.http_basic_auth_user = ENV["BASIC_AUTH_USER"]
+config.active_insights.http_basic_auth_password = ENV["BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD"]
+```
+
 ## Development
 
 After checking out the repo, run `bin/setup` to install dependencies. Then, run
diff --git a/app/controllers/active_insights/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/active_insights/application_controller.rb
index 6a9bacb..ed8115b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/active_insights/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/active_insights/application_controller.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 module ActiveInsights
   class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
+    include ActiveInsights::BasicAuthentication
+
     protect_from_forgery with: :exception
 
     around_action :setup_time_zone
diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf9e573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module ActiveInsights::BasicAuthentication
+  extend ActiveSupport::Concern
+
+  included do
+    before_action :authenticate_by_http_basic
+  end
+
+  def authenticate_by_http_basic
+    return unless http_basic_authentication_enabled?
+
+    if http_basic_authentication_configured?
+      http_basic_authenticate_or_request_with(**http_basic_auth_credentials)
+    else
+      head :unauthorized
+    end
+  end
+
+  def http_basic_authentication_enabled?
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled
+  end
+
+  def http_basic_authentication_configured?
+    http_basic_auth_credentials.values.all?(&:present?)
+  end
+
+  def http_basic_auth_credentials
+    {
+      name: ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user,
+      password: ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password
+    }.transform_values(&:presence)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/active_insights.rb b/lib/active_insights.rb
index 328912a..c93e34b 100644
--- a/lib/active_insights.rb
+++ b/lib/active_insights.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 require "active_insights/engine"
 
 module ActiveInsights
-  mattr_accessor :connects_to, :ignored_endpoints, :enabled
+  mattr_accessor :connects_to, :ignored_endpoints, :enabled,
+                 :http_basic_auth_enabled, :http_basic_auth_user,
+                 :http_basic_auth_password
 
   class << self
     def ignored_endpoint?(payload)
diff --git a/lib/active_insights/version.rb b/lib/active_insights/version.rb
index 5c37645..419406e 100644
--- a/lib/active_insights/version.rb
+++ b/lib/active_insights/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module ActiveInsights
-  VERSION = "1.3.1"
+  VERSION = "1.4.0"
 end
diff --git a/test/active_insights_test.rb b/test/active_insights_test.rb
index 46e96a7..b24f78b 100644
--- a/test/active_insights_test.rb
+++ b/test/active_insights_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,35 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class ActiveInsightsTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
+  teardown do
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled = nil
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user = nil
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password = nil
+  end
+
   test "it has a version number" do
     assert ActiveInsights::VERSION
   end
+
+  test "it does not enabled http basic auth by default" do
+    assert_not ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled
+  end
+
+  test "it has an accessor to set whether http basic auth is enabled" do
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled = true
+
+    assert ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled
+  end
+
+  test "it has an accessor to set http basic auth user" do
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user = "johndoe"
+
+    assert_equal "johndoe", ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user
+  end
+
+  test "it has an accessor to set http basic auth password" do
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password = "secret"
+
+    assert_equal "secret", ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication_test.rb b/test/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5420e41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/controllers/concerns/active_insights/basic_authentication_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require "test_helper"
+
+class ActiveInsights::BasicAuthenticationTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
+  test "it does not require http basic auth by default" do
+    get active_insights.requests_path
+
+    assert_response :success
+  end
+
+  test "it requires http basic auth when enabled" do
+    with_http_basic_auth do
+      get active_insights.requests_path
+
+      assert_response :unauthorized
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "allows access with correct credentials" do
+    with_http_basic_auth(user: "dev", password: "secret") do
+      get active_insights.requests_path, headers: auth_headers("dev", "secret")
+
+      assert_response :success
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "disallows access with incorrect credentials" do
+    with_http_basic_auth(user: "dev", password: "secret") do
+      get active_insights.requests_path, headers: auth_headers("dev", "wrong")
+
+      assert_response :unauthorized
+    end
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
+  def with_http_basic_auth(enabled: true, user: nil, password: nil)
+    previous_enabled, ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled =
+      ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled, enabled
+    previous_user, ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user =
+      ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user, user
+    previous_password, ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password =
+      ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password, password
+    yield
+  ensure
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_enabled = previous_enabled
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_user = previous_user
+    ActiveInsights.http_basic_auth_password = previous_password
+  end
+  # rubocop:enable Metrics/MethodLength
+
+  def auth_headers(user, password)
+    {
+      Authorization:
+        ActionController::HttpAuthentication::Basic.encode_credentials(
+          user, password
+        )
+    }
+  end
+end