diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1c7cd99..9064a89 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
+<div align="center">
+  <img src="frontend/public/favicon.svg" alt="Nucleus" width="64" />
+
 # Nucleus - Vulnerability Scan Orchestrator
 
 Nucleus is a single, self-contained Go binary that acts as an orchestration manager for scheduled [Nuclei](https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei) vulnerability scans.
 
 It serves an embedded Vue 3 SPA web dashboard, reads/writes scan states to a local SQLite database, and automatically dispatches beautifully formatted HTML email reports via SMTP when scans discover vulnerabilities.
 
+</div>
+
 ## Prerequisites
 - **Go 1.22+**
 - **Node.js & npm** (for building the frontend)
@@ -65,6 +70,10 @@ Environment="SMTP_TO=admin@example.com"
 # Environment="SMTP_USER=username"
 # Environment="SMTP_PASS=password"
 
+# Optional: Add basic authentication to protect the web dashboard
+# Environment="WEB_USER=admin"
+# Environment="WEB_PASS=supersecret"
+
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=5
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.vue b/frontend/src/App.vue
index a27f6ba..0e5894a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/App.vue
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
           <img src="/favicon.svg" alt="Nucleus Logo" class="w-8 h-8 drop-shadow-md" />
           <h1 class="text-xl font-bold text-heading">Nucleus</h1>
         </div>
-        <nav class="flex space-x-4">
+        <nav class="flex space-x-4 items-center" v-if="$route.path !== '/login'">
           <router-link to="/" class="px-3 py-2 rounded-md text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:bg-border-subtle hover:text-heading" active-class="bg-bg text-accent shadow-inner">Targets</router-link>
           <router-link to="/scans" class="px-3 py-2 rounded-md text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:bg-border-subtle hover:text-heading" active-class="bg-bg text-accent shadow-inner">Scans History</router-link>
+          <button @click="logout" class="ml-4 px-3 py-1.5 border border-border-subtle rounded-md text-sm font-medium text-body hover:text-red-400 hover:border-red-400/50 transition-colors hover:cursor-pointer">Logout</button>
         </nav>
       </div>
     </header>
@@ -20,3 +21,14 @@
     </main>
   </div>
 </template>
+
+<script setup>
+import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
+
+const router = useRouter()
+
+const logout = async () => {
+  await fetch('/api/auth/logout', { method: 'POST' })
+  router.push('/login')
+}
+</script>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FindingsInspector.vue b/frontend/src/components/FindingsInspector.vue
index 5587c1e..f48d21e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FindingsInspector.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FindingsInspector.vue
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ const findings = ref([])
 const loadFindings = async () => {
   try {
     const res = await fetch(`/api/scans/${props.id}/findings`)
+    if (res.status === 401) { window.location.href = '/login'; return }
     findings.value = await res.json() || []
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(e)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Login.vue b/frontend/src/components/Login.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4043694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Login.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<template>
+  <div class="flex items-center justify-center min-h-[70vh]">
+    <div class="w-full max-w-md bg-surface p-8 rounded-xl shadow-lg border border-border-subtle backdrop-blur-sm">
+      <div class="flex justify-center mb-6">
+        <img src="/favicon.svg" alt="Nucleus Logo" class="w-16 h-16 drop-shadow-md" />
+      </div>
+      <h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-center text-heading mb-6">Sign In to Nucleus</h2>
+      
+      <form @submit.prevent="login" class="space-y-4">
+        <div v-if="error" class="p-3 bg-red-500/20 border border-red-500/50 text-red-400 rounded-lg text-sm text-center">
+          {{ error }}
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          <label class="block text-sm font-medium text-body mb-1">Username</label>
+          <input v-model="username" type="text" required class="w-full bg-bg border border-border-subtle rounded-lg px-4 py-2 text-heading focus:ring-2 focus:ring-accent focus:border-transparent outline-none transition-all">
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          <label class="block text-sm font-medium text-body mb-1">Password</label>
+          <input v-model="password" type="password" required class="w-full bg-bg border border-border-subtle rounded-lg px-4 py-2 text-heading focus:ring-2 focus:ring-accent focus:border-transparent outline-none transition-all">
+        </div>
+        <button type="submit" class="w-full bg-accent hover:bg-accent/80 text-bg font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded-lg shadow-md hover:shadow-lg transition-all hover:cursor-pointer mt-2">
+          Login
+        </button>
+      </form>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script setup>
+import { ref } from 'vue'
+import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
+
+const router = useRouter()
+const username = ref('')
+const password = ref('')
+const error = ref('')
+
+const login = async () => {
+  error.value = ''
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch('/api/auth/login', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ username: username.value, password: password.value })
+    })
+    
+    if (res.ok) {
+      router.push('/')
+    } else {
+      error.value = 'Invalid username or password'
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    error.value = 'Network error'
+  }
+}
+</script>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ScansHistory.vue b/frontend/src/components/ScansHistory.vue
index dd785d4..734f6c6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ScansHistory.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ScansHistory.vue
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ let interval = null
 const loadScans = async () => {
   try {
     const res = await fetch('/api/scans')
+    if (res.status === 401) { window.location.href = '/login'; return }
     scans.value = await res.json() || []
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(e)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TargetManager.vue b/frontend/src/components/TargetManager.vue
index 2b4a511..2b65f21 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TargetManager.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TargetManager.vue
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ const form = ref({ name: '', address: '', schedule: 'manual', customSchedule: ''
 const loadTargets = async () => {
   try {
     const res = await fetch('/api/targets')
+    if (res.status === 401) { window.location.href = '/login'; return }
     targets.value = await res.json() || []
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(e)
diff --git a/frontend/src/router.js b/frontend/src/router.js
index a01a0f4..052cab1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/router.js
+++ b/frontend/src/router.js
@@ -2,14 +2,34 @@ import { createRouter, createWebHistory } from 'vue-router'
 import TargetManager from './components/TargetManager.vue'
 import ScansHistory from './components/ScansHistory.vue'
 import FindingsInspector from './components/FindingsInspector.vue'
+import Login from './components/Login.vue'
 
 const routes = [
-  { path: '/', component: TargetManager },
-  { path: '/scans', component: ScansHistory },
-  { path: '/scans/:id', component: FindingsInspector, props: true }
+  { path: '/login', component: Login },
+  { path: '/', component: TargetManager, meta: { requiresAuth: true } },
+  { path: '/scans', component: ScansHistory, meta: { requiresAuth: true } },
+  { path: '/scans/:id', component: FindingsInspector, props: true, meta: { requiresAuth: true } }
 ]
 
 export const router = createRouter({
   history: createWebHistory(),
   routes
 })
+
+router.beforeEach(async (to, from, next) => {
+  if (to.meta.requiresAuth) {
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/auth/status')
+      const status = await res.json()
+      if (status.auth_required && !status.authenticated) {
+        next('/login')
+      } else {
+        next()
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      next('/login')
+    }
+  } else {
+    next()
+  }
+})
diff --git a/internal/api/auth.go b/internal/api/auth.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67505ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/auth.go
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+var (
+	currentSession string
+	sessionMu      sync.Mutex
+)
+
+func generateSession() string {
+	b := make([]byte, 32)
+	rand.Read(b)
+	return hex.EncodeToString(b)
+}
+
+func AuthMiddleware(next http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		user := os.Getenv("WEB_USER")
+		pass := os.Getenv("WEB_PASS")
+		if user == "" || pass == "" {
+			next(w, r)
+			return
+		}
+
+		cookie, err := r.Cookie("nucleus_session")
+		if err != nil {
+			http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+			return
+		}
+
+		sessionMu.Lock()
+		valid := currentSession != "" && currentSession == cookie.Value
+		sessionMu.Unlock()
+
+		if !valid {
+			http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+			return
+		}
+
+		next(w, r)
+	}
+}
+
+func LoginHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	user := os.Getenv("WEB_USER")
+	pass := os.Getenv("WEB_PASS")
+	if user == "" || pass == "" {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		return
+	}
+
+	var creds struct {
+		Username string `json:"username"`
+		Password string `json:"password"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&creds); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Bad Request", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if creds.Username != user || creds.Password != pass {
+		http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+
+	sessionMu.Lock()
+	currentSession = generateSession()
+	token := currentSession
+	sessionMu.Unlock()
+
+	http.SetCookie(w, &http.Cookie{
+		Name:     "nucleus_session",
+		Value:    token,
+		Path:     "/",
+		Expires:  time.Now().Add(24 * time.Hour),
+		HttpOnly: true,
+	})
+	
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+func LogoutHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	sessionMu.Lock()
+	currentSession = ""
+	sessionMu.Unlock()
+
+	http.SetCookie(w, &http.Cookie{
+		Name:     "nucleus_session",
+		Value:    "",
+		Path:     "/",
+		Expires:  time.Now().Add(-1 * time.Hour),
+		HttpOnly: true,
+	})
+	
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+func StatusHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	user := os.Getenv("WEB_USER")
+	pass := os.Getenv("WEB_PASS")
+	if user == "" || pass == "" {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"auth_required": false, "authenticated": true}`))
+		return
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	cookie, err := r.Cookie("nucleus_session")
+	if err != nil {
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"auth_required": true, "authenticated": false}`))
+		return
+	}
+
+	sessionMu.Lock()
+	valid := currentSession != "" && currentSession == cookie.Value
+	sessionMu.Unlock()
+
+	if valid {
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"auth_required": true, "authenticated": true}`))
+	} else {
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"auth_required": true, "authenticated": false}`))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/api/handlers.go b/internal/api/handlers.go
index 0898901..0e687dd 100644
--- a/internal/api/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/api/handlers.go
@@ -12,12 +12,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 func RegisterRoutes(mux *http.ServeMux) {
-	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/targets", getTargets)
-	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/targets", createTarget)
-	mux.HandleFunc("DELETE /api/targets/{id}", deleteTarget)
-	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/targets/{id}/scan", triggerScan)
-	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/scans", getScans)
-	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/scans/{id}/findings", getFindings)
+	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/auth/login", LoginHandler)
+	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/auth/logout", LogoutHandler)
+	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/auth/status", StatusHandler)
+
+	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/targets", AuthMiddleware(getTargets))
+	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/targets", AuthMiddleware(createTarget))
+	mux.HandleFunc("DELETE /api/targets/{id}", AuthMiddleware(deleteTarget))
+	mux.HandleFunc("POST /api/targets/{id}/scan", AuthMiddleware(triggerScan))
+	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/scans", AuthMiddleware(getScans))
+	mux.HandleFunc("GET /api/scans/{id}/findings", AuthMiddleware(getFindings))
 }
 
 func getTargets(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {