diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 70e0f16..85e25c9 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/facebookgo/clock v0.0.0-20150410010913-600d898af40a // indirect
 	github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 // indirect
+	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.3.1 // indirect
 	github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/v2 v2.3.2 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 44f93c9..77506c1 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2 h1:hSWxHoqTgW2S2qGc0LTAI563KZ5YKYRhT3MFKZMbjag=
 github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2/go.mod h1:mMo/vtBO5dYbehREoey6XUKy/eSumjCCveDpRre4VKE=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 h1:Ov1cvc58UF3b5XjBnZv7+opcTcQFZebYjWzi34vdm4Q=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2/go.mod h1:P1XiOD3dCwIKUDQYPy72D8LYyHL2YPYrpS2s69NZV8Q=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.3.1 h1:kYf81DTWFe7t+1VvL7eS+jKFVWaUnK9cB1qbwn63YCY=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.3.1/go.mod h1:fxCRLWMO43lRc8nhHWY6LGqRcf+1gQWArsqaEUEa5bE=
 github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0 h1:ErTB+efbowRARo13NNdxyJji2egdxLGQhRaY+DUumQc=
 github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0/go.mod h1:p6yTPP+5HYm5mzsMV8JkE6ZKdX+/wYM6Hr+LicevLPs=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.4 h1:i7eJL8qZTpSEXOPTxNKhASYpMn+8e5Q6AdndVa1dWek=
diff --git a/internal/auth/jwt.go b/internal/auth/jwt.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f02220d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/auth/jwt.go
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5"
+)
+
+// Validator validates JWT tokens from Authentik.
+type Validator struct {
+	issuer   string
+	audience string
+	jwksURL  string
+	client   *http.Client
+
+	mu        sync.RWMutex
+	keyset    *keySet
+	lastFetch time.Time
+	cacheTTL  time.Duration
+}
+
+type keySet struct {
+	Keys map[string]interface{} `json:"keys"`
+}
+
+// Claims holds Authentik JWT claims.
+type Claims struct {
+	jwt.RegisteredClaims
+	Permissions []string `json:"permissions"`
+	Groups      []string `json:"groups"`
+}
+
+// NewValidator creates a validator for an Authentik app.
+// appSlug is the OAuth2 provider slug (e.g., "gateway", "sqs", "memory").
+func NewValidator(appSlug string) *Validator {
+	issuer := fmt.Sprintf("https://authentik.riotpiao.com/application/o/%s/", appSlug)
+	return &Validator{
+		issuer:   issuer,
+		audience: appSlug,
+		jwksURL:  issuer + "jwks/",
+		client:   &http.Client{Timeout: 10 * time.Second},
+		cacheTTL: 15 * time.Minute,
+	}
+}
+
+// ValidateToken extracts and validates a JWT from the Authorization header.
+// Returns the claims if valid, or an error if invalid/missing.
+func (v *Validator) ValidateToken(authHeader string) (*Claims, error) {
+	// Extract token from "Bearer <token>"
+	if authHeader == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("authorization header missing")
+	}
+
+	parts := strings.SplitN(authHeader, " ", 2)
+	if len(parts) != 2 || parts[0] != "Bearer" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid authorization header format")
+	}
+
+	tokenString := parts[1]
+
+	// Ensure JWKS is fresh
+	if err := v.ensureKeys(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch JWKS: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Parse JWT with custom key func
+	token, err := jwt.ParseWithClaims(tokenString, &Claims{}, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
+		// Verify algorithm is RS256 only
+		if token.Method.Alg() != "RS256" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected algorithm: %v", token.Header["alg"])
+		}
+
+		kid, ok := token.Header["kid"].(string)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("kid not in token header")
+		}
+
+		// Get key from cache
+		v.mu.RLock()
+		keys := v.keyset.Keys
+		v.mu.RUnlock()
+
+		rawKey, exists := keys[kid]
+		if !exists {
+			// Try refreshing JWKS (key rotation)
+			if err := v.fetchKeys(); err == nil {
+				v.mu.RLock()
+				rawKey, exists = v.keyset.Keys[kid]
+				v.mu.RUnlock()
+			}
+			if !exists {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("key %s not found", kid)
+			}
+		}
+
+		return rawKey, nil
+	})
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("token validation failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if !token.Valid {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("token invalid")
+	}
+
+	claims, ok := token.Claims.(*Claims)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid claims")
+	}
+
+	// Verify issuer
+	if claims.Issuer != v.issuer {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("issuer mismatch")
+	}
+
+	// Verify audience (check if audience is in the claims)
+	if len(claims.Audience) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no audience in token")
+	}
+	audFound := false
+	for _, aud := range claims.Audience {
+		if aud == v.audience {
+			audFound = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if !audFound {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("audience mismatch: expected %s", v.audience)
+	}
+
+	// Verify exp, nbf, iat
+	now := time.Now().Unix()
+	if claims.ExpiresAt != nil && claims.ExpiresAt.Unix() < now {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("token expired")
+	}
+	if claims.NotBefore != nil && claims.NotBefore.Unix() > now+60 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("token not yet valid")
+	}
+
+	return claims, nil
+}
+
+// HasPermission checks if claims contain the required permission.
+// Wildcard "*" grants all permissions.
+func (v *Validator) HasPermission(claims *Claims, permission string) bool {
+	for _, p := range claims.Permissions {
+		if p == "*" || p == permission {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// ensureKeys refreshes JWKS if cache is stale.
+func (v *Validator) ensureKeys() error {
+	v.mu.RLock()
+	cacheValid := v.keyset != nil && time.Since(v.lastFetch) < v.cacheTTL
+	v.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	if cacheValid {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return v.fetchKeys()
+}
+
+// fetchKeys fetches JWKS from Authentik.
+func (v *Validator) fetchKeys() error {
+	resp, err := v.client.Get(v.jwksURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("GET %s failed: %w", v.jwksURL, err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return fmt.Errorf("JWKS endpoint returned %d: %s", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+	}
+
+	var ks keySet
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&ks); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("decode JWKS failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	v.keyset = &ks
+	v.lastFetch = time.Now()
+	v.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/serviceadapter/router.go b/internal/serviceadapter/router.go
index 01bf2cb..70f3af2 100644
--- a/internal/serviceadapter/router.go
+++ b/internal/serviceadapter/router.go
@@ -8,21 +8,29 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"time"
 
+	"forgejo.riotpiao.com/rock/homelab-frontend/internal/auth"
 	"forgejo.riotpiao.com/rock/homelab-frontend/internal/problem"
 )
 
 // Dispatcher handles X-Service based routing to service adapters.
 type Dispatcher struct {
-	registry *Registry
-	// authValidator would check capabilities if internal/auth exists
-	// For now, we stub it
+	registry   *Registry
+	validators map[string]*auth.Validator // Per-service JWT validators
 }
 
-// NewDispatcher creates a new service adapter dispatcher.
+// NewDispatcher creates a new service adapter dispatcher with Authentik JWT validators.
 func NewDispatcher(registry *Registry) *Dispatcher {
-	return &Dispatcher{
-		registry: registry,
+	dispatcher := &Dispatcher{
+		registry:   registry,
+		validators: make(map[string]*auth.Validator),
 	}
+
+	// Create validators for all registered services
+	for _, adapter := range registry.List() {
+		dispatcher.validators[adapter.ServiceName] = auth.NewValidator(adapter.ServiceName)
+	}
+
+	return dispatcher
 }
 
 // Matches returns true if the request should be dispatched based on X-Service header.
@@ -85,8 +93,7 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) Dispatch(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Check auth requirements (stub for now — internal/auth integration in 8.3)
-	// Determine required capability
+	// Check auth requirements using JWT validation
 	requiredCapability := ""
 	auth := resource.Auth
 	if auth == nil {
@@ -98,11 +105,28 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) Dispatch(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	if auth != nil && auth.Required && auth.Capability != "" {
 		requiredCapability = auth.Capability
-		// Would validate JWT and capability here (depends on internal/auth)
-		// For now, stub — just log that it would be checked
-		if !d.hasCapability(r, requiredCapability) {
+
+		// Validate JWT token
+		validator := d.validators[serviceName]
+		if validator == nil {
+			p := problem.NewProblem(http.StatusInternalServerError, "about:blank#server-error",
+				"Internal Server Error", fmt.Sprintf("no validator for service '%s'", serviceName))
+			_ = p.Write(w)
+			return
+		}
+
+		claims, err := validator.ValidateToken(r.Header.Get("Authorization"))
+		if err != nil {
 			p := problem.NewProblem(http.StatusForbidden, "about:blank#forbidden",
-				"Forbidden", fmt.Sprintf("capability '%s' required", requiredCapability))
+				"Forbidden", fmt.Sprintf("authentication failed: %v", err))
+			_ = p.Write(w)
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Check permission
+		if !validator.HasPermission(claims, requiredCapability) {
+			p := problem.NewProblem(http.StatusForbidden, "about:blank#forbidden",
+				"Forbidden", fmt.Sprintf("permission '%s' required", requiredCapability))
 			_ = p.Write(w)
 			return
 		}
@@ -140,13 +164,7 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) Dispatch(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	proxy.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 }
 
-// hasCapability checks if the request has the required capability.
-// Stub implementation — depends on internal/auth JWT validation.
-func (d *Dispatcher) hasCapability(r *http.Request, capability string) bool {
-	// TODO: Parse JWT from Authorization header and check capabilities
-	// For now, assume all authenticated requests have all capabilities
-	return r.Header.Get("Authorization") != ""
-}
+
 
 func (d *Dispatcher) writeError(w http.ResponseWriter, p *problem.Problem) {
 	_ = p.Write(w)