diff --git a/conf/production.json b/conf/production.json
index e4075ac..d531bb3 100644
--- a/conf/production.json
+++ b/conf/production.json
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 {
   "server": {
-    "port": 3000
-  },
-  "session": {
-    "secret": "CHANGE-ME-NOW"
+    "port": 3389,
+    "host": "0.0.0.0"
   },
   "auth": {
-    "disabled": false
+    "disabled": false,
+    "ldap": {
+      "enabled": true,
+      "url": "ldap://10.1.0.55:389",
+      "baseDN": "dc=theta42,dc=com",
+      "bindDN": "cn=ldapclient service,ou=people,dc=theta42,dc=com",
+      "bindPassword": "",
+      "searchFilter": "(&(memberof=cn=app_openclaw_access,ou=groups,dc=theta42,dc=com)(objectClass=posixAccount)(uid={{username}}))"
+    }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/conf/secrets.json b/conf/secrets.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46850ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/secrets.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "gateway": {
+    "token": "a41984619a5f4b9bf9148ab6eb4abca53eb796d046cbbec5"
+  },
+  "session": {
+    "secret": "dev-session-secret-change-in-production"
+  },
+  "auth": {
+    "ldap": {
+      "bindDN": "cn=ldapclient service,ou=people,dc=theta42,dc=com",
+      "bindPassword": "REPLACE_WITH_ACTUAL_PASSWORD"
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 7a67140..155a2bd 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -85,39 +85,37 @@ async function authenticateLDAP(username, password) {
       reject(new Error('LDAP connection failed'));
     });
     
-    // Construct user DN
-    const userDN = `uid=${username},${CONFIG.ldap.baseDN}`;
-    
-    client.bind(userDN, password, (err) => {
-      if (err) {
-        client.destroy();
-        reject(new Error('Invalid credentials'));
-        return;
-      }
+    // Step 1: Bind with service account (if configured) to search for user
+    const doSearch = () => {
+      // Build search filter from config, replacing {{username}} with actual username
+      const filter = CONFIG.ldap.searchFilter.replace('{{username}}', username);
       
-      // Successfully authenticated - get user info
       const searchOptions = {
-        scope: 'base',
-        filter: `(uid=${username})`,
+        scope: 'sub',
+        filter: filter,
         attributes: ['dn', 'uid', 'cn', 'mail', 'displayName', 'memberOf']
       };
       
-      client.search(userDN, searchOptions, (err, res) => {
+      let userDN = null;
+      const user = { username };
+      
+      client.search(CONFIG.ldap.baseDN, searchOptions, (err, res) => {
         if (err) {
           client.destroy();
           reject(err);
           return;
         }
         
-        const user = { username };
-        
         res.on('searchEntry', (entry) => {
+          userDN = entry.object.dn;
           user.dn = entry.object.dn;
           user.uid = entry.object.uid;
           user.cn = entry.object.cn;
           user.email = entry.object.mail;
           user.displayName = entry.object.displayName || entry.object.cn;
-          user.groups = entry.object.memberOf || [];
+          user.groups = entry.object.memberOf
+            ? (Array.isArray(entry.object.memberOf) ? entry.object.memberOf : [entry.object.memberOf])
+            : [];
         });
         
         res.on('error', (err) => {
@@ -126,11 +124,41 @@ async function authenticateLDAP(username, password) {
         });
         
         res.on('end', () => {
-          client.destroy();
-          resolve(user);
+          if (!userDN) {
+            client.destroy();
+            reject(new Error('User not found'));
+            return;
+          }
+          
+          // Step 2: Bind as the user to verify password
+          client.bind(userDN, password, (err) => {
+            if (err) {
+              client.destroy();
+              reject(new Error('Invalid credentials'));
+              return;
+            }
+            
+            client.destroy();
+            resolve(user);
+          });
         });
       });
-    });
+    };
+    
+    // If we have a service account bind, use it first
+    if (CONFIG.ldap.bindDN && CONFIG.ldap.bindPassword) {
+      client.bind(CONFIG.ldap.bindDN, CONFIG.ldap.bindPassword, (err) => {
+        if (err) {
+          client.destroy();
+          reject(new Error('LDAP service bind failed'));
+          return;
+        }
+        doSearch();
+      });
+    } else {
+      // No service bind - search anonymously (may not work with all LDAP servers)
+      doSearch();
+    }
   });
 }