diff --git a/routers/users.py b/routers/users.py
index 215dd15..47a0a88 100644
--- a/routers/users.py
+++ b/routers/users.py
@@ -1,46 +1,37 @@
 import os
 from typing import List
-from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException, Depends
+from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException, Depends, Request
+from jose import JWTError, jwt
 from database import db_dependency
 
 import models
 
+from routers import auth
 import schemas.users as users
 import schemas.projects as projects
 
 from pyargon2 import hash
-import pyargon2
 
 router = APIRouter(prefix="/users", tags=["users"])
 
-"""Get a user by ID"""
 
 @router.get("/{user_id}", response_model=users.UserBase)
-def read_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency):
+def read_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency, request:Request):
+    """Get a user by ID"""
+
+    check_for_valid_token(request, db)
+    
     db_user = db.query(models.User).filter(models.User.id == user_id).first()
     if db_user is None:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="User not found")
     return db_user
 
-
-"""Update a user by ID"""
-
-@router.put("/{user_id}", response_model=users.UserBase)
-def update_user(user_id: int, user: users.UserBase, db: db_dependency):
-    db_user = db.query(models.User).filter(models.User.id == user_id).first()
-    if db_user is None:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="User not found")
-    setattr(db_user, "name", user.name)
-    setattr(db_user, "email", user.email)
-    db.commit()
-    db.refresh(db_user)
-    return db_user
-
-
-"""Get projects assigned to a user"""
-
 @router.get("/{user_id}/projects", response_model=List[projects.ProjectBase])
-def read_projects_from_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency):
+def read_projects_from_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency, request: Request):
+    """Get projects assigned to a user"""
+
+    check_for_valid_token(request, db)
+
     db_user = db.query(models.User).filter(models.User.id == user_id).first()
     if db_user is None:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="User not found")
@@ -50,12 +41,10 @@ def read_projects_from_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency):
 ## POST endpoints
 ##
 
-
-"""Create a new user"""
-
 @router.post("/", response_model=users.UserBase)
 def create_user(user: users.UserCreate, db: db_dependency):
-    
+    """Create a new user"""
+
     user_salt = os.urandom(32).hex()
     print("Generated salt:", user_salt)
     
@@ -82,3 +71,38 @@ def delete_user(user_id: int, db: db_dependency):
     db.commit()
     return {"detail": "User deleted"}
 
+
+def check_for_valid_token(request: Request, db: db_dependency) -> models.User :
+    """Helper function to check for valid JWT token in cookies"""
+    token = request.cookies.get("access_token")
+    if not token:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=401,
+            detail="Not logged in"
+        )
+    try:
+        payload = jwt.decode(token, auth.SECRET_KEY, algorithms=[auth.ALGORITHM])
+        user_id: str = str(payload.get("sub"))
+        if user_id is None:
+            request.cookies.clear() ## removing invalid auth cookie
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=401,
+                detail="Not logged in"
+            )
+        db_user = db.query(models.User).filter(models.User.id == int(user_id)).first()
+        if db_user is None:
+            request.cookies.clear() ## removing invalid auth cookie
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=401,
+                detail="User not found"
+            )
+        return db_user
+    
+    except JWTError:
+        request.cookies.clear() ## removing invalid auth cookie
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=401,
+            detail="Could not validate credentials"
+        )
+
+