diff --git a/app/static/examples/config.example.yml b/app/static/examples/config.example.yml
index 3351225..1888e31 100644
--- a/app/static/examples/config.example.yml
+++ b/app/static/examples/config.example.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ mongodb:
   uri: mongodb://localhost:27017/
   database: grain
 
+auth:
+  enabled: false # Enable or disable AUTH handling
+  relay_url: "wss://relay.example.com/" # Specify the relay URL
+
 server:
   port: :8181
   read_timeout: 10 # in seconds
diff --git a/config/types/authConfig.go b/config/types/authConfig.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb15bd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/types/authConfig.go
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package config
+
+type AuthConfig struct {
+	Enabled  bool   `yaml:"enabled"`
+	RelayURL string `yaml:"relay_url"`
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/types/serverConfig.go b/config/types/serverConfig.go
index 08b7a43..ba2d618 100644
--- a/config/types/serverConfig.go
+++ b/config/types/serverConfig.go
@@ -19,4 +19,5 @@ type ServerConfig struct {
 	DomainWhitelist DomainWhitelistConfig `yaml:"domain_whitelist"`
 	Blacklist       BlacklistConfig       `yaml:"blacklist"`
 	ResourceLimits  ResourceLimits        `yaml:"resource_limits"`
+	Auth            AuthConfig            `yaml:"auth"`
 }
diff --git a/server/handlers/auth.go b/server/handlers/auth.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e4dc83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/handlers/auth.go
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"grain/config"
+	"grain/server/handlers/response"
+	"grain/server/utils"
+	"time"
+
+	relay "grain/server/types"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/websocket"
+)
+
+// HandleAuth handles the "AUTH" message type as defined in NIP-42
+func HandleAuth(ws *websocket.Conn, message []interface{}) {
+	if !config.GetConfig().Auth.Enabled {
+		fmt.Println("AUTH is disabled in the configuration")
+		response.SendNotice(ws, "", "AUTH is disabled")
+		return
+	}
+
+	if len(message) != 2 {
+		fmt.Println("Invalid AUTH message format")
+		response.SendNotice(ws, "", "Invalid AUTH message format")
+		return
+	}
+
+	authData, ok := message[1].(map[string]interface{})
+	if !ok {
+		fmt.Println("Invalid auth data format")
+		response.SendNotice(ws, "", "Invalid auth data format")
+		return
+	}
+	authBytes, err := json.Marshal(authData)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Error marshaling auth data:", err)
+		response.SendNotice(ws, "", "Error marshaling auth data")
+		return
+	}
+
+	var authEvent relay.Event
+	err = json.Unmarshal(authBytes, &authEvent)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Error unmarshaling auth data:", err)
+		response.SendNotice(ws, "", "Error unmarshaling auth data")
+		return
+	}
+
+	err = VerifyAuthEvent(authEvent)
+	if err != nil {
+		response.SendOK(ws, authEvent.ID, false, err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Mark the session as authenticated after successful verification
+	SetAuthenticated(ws)
+	response.SendOK(ws, authEvent.ID, true, "")
+}
+
+// VerifyAuthEvent verifies the authentication event according to NIP-42
+func VerifyAuthEvent(evt relay.Event) error {
+	if evt.Kind != 22242 {
+		return errors.New("invalid: event kind must be 22242")
+	}
+
+	if time.Since(time.Unix(evt.CreatedAt, 0)) > 10*time.Minute {
+		return errors.New("invalid: event is too old")
+	}
+
+	challenge, err := extractTag(evt.Tags, "challenge")
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("invalid: challenge tag missing")
+	}
+
+	relayURL, err := extractTag(evt.Tags, "relay")
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("invalid: relay tag missing")
+	}
+
+	expectedChallenge := GetChallengeForConnection(evt.PubKey)
+	if challenge != expectedChallenge {
+		return errors.New("invalid: challenge does not match")
+	}
+
+	if relayURL != config.GetConfig().Auth.RelayURL {
+		return errors.New("invalid: relay URL does not match")
+	}
+
+	if !utils.CheckSignature(evt) {
+		return errors.New("invalid: signature verification failed")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// extractTag extracts a specific tag from an event's tags
+func extractTag(tags [][]string, key string) (string, error) {
+	for _, tag := range tags {
+		if len(tag) >= 2 && tag[0] == key {
+			return tag[1], nil
+		}
+	}
+	return "", errors.New("tag not found")
+}
+
+// Map to store challenges associated with connections
+var challenges = make(map[string]string)
+var authSessions = make(map[*websocket.Conn]bool)
+
+// GetChallengeForConnection retrieves the challenge string for a given connection
+func GetChallengeForConnection(pubKey string) string {
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	return challenges[pubKey]
+}
+
+// SetChallengeForConnection sets the challenge string for a given connection
+func SetChallengeForConnection(pubKey, challenge string) {
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	challenges[pubKey] = challenge
+}
+
+// SetAuthenticated marks a connection as authenticated
+func SetAuthenticated(ws *websocket.Conn) {
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	authSessions[ws] = true
+}
+
+// IsAuthenticated checks if a connection is authenticated
+func IsAuthenticated(ws *websocket.Conn) bool {
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	return authSessions[ws]
+}
diff --git a/server/relay.go b/server/relay.go
index 1004408..9e73095 100644
--- a/server/relay.go
+++ b/server/relay.go
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ func WebSocketHandler(ws *websocket.Conn) {
 				return
 			}
 			handlers.HandleReq(ws, message, subscriptions)
+		case "AUTH":
+			if config.GetConfig().Auth.Enabled {
+				handlers.HandleAuth(ws, message)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("Received AUTH message, but AUTH is disabled")
+			}
 		case "CLOSE":
 			handlers.HandleClose(ws, message)
 		default: