diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/authenticateJWT.js b/backend/src/middleware/authenticateJWT.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a52567a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/authenticateJWT.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
+
+export const authenticateJWT = (req, res, next) => {
+  const token = req.header('Authorization')?.replace('Bearer ', '');
+
+  if (!token) {
+    return res.status(403).json({ message: 'Access Denied: No Token Provided' });
+  }
+
+  jwt.verify(token, process.env.JWT_SECRET, (err, user) => {
+    if (err) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ message: 'Invalid Token' });
+    }
+
+    req.user = user;
+    next();
+  });
+};
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/channelRouter.js b/backend/src/routes/channelRouter.js
index 67b1dcf1..c5ef3549 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/channelRouter.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/channelRouter.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   getUserChannelsController,
 } from '../controllers/channelController.js';
 import { validationMiddleware } from '../middleware/validationMiddleware.js';
+import { authenticateJWT } from '../middleware/authenticateJWT.js';
 
 export const channelRouter = express.Router();
 
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ channelRouter.post(
     body('name').notEmpty().withMessage('Name is required'),
     body('host_id').notEmpty().withMessage('Host ID is required'),
   ],
+  authenticateJWT,
   validationMiddleware,
   createChannelController,
 );
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ channelRouter.post(
 channelRouter.post(
   '/:channelId/guests',
   [body('guests').isArray().withMessage('Guests must be an array')],
+  authenticateJWT,
   validationMiddleware,
   addGuestController,
 );
@@ -108,6 +111,7 @@ channelRouter.post(
 channelRouter.get(
   '/:id',
   [param('id').notEmpty().withMessage('Channel ID is required')],
+  authenticateJWT,
   validationMiddleware,
   getChannelInfoController,
 );
@@ -182,6 +186,7 @@ channelRouter.get(
 channelRouter.get(
   '/user/:userId',
   [param('userId').notEmpty().withMessage('User ID is required')],
+  authenticateJWT,
   validationMiddleware,
   getUserChannelsController,
 );