diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3d64de1..fe1320b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ $ curl -v -X POST -d "@README.md" localhost:3535/api/v1/file-upload/testfile
 All API endpoints can be protected with HTTP Basic Auth.
 
 The API endpoints are initially unauthenticated, until a secret is configured
-either via file or via API. If the secret is configured via API, the SHA256
+either via file or via API. If the secret is configured via API, the salted SHA256
 hash is be stored in a file (specified in the config file) to enable basic auth protection
 across restarts.
 
diff --git a/cmd/system-api/main.go b/cmd/system-api/main.go
index 1d513f2..e849644 100644
--- a/cmd/system-api/main.go
+++ b/cmd/system-api/main.go
@@ -91,11 +91,7 @@ func runCli(cCtx *cli.Context) (err error) {
 	)
 
 	// Setup and start the server (in the background)
-	cfg := &systemapi.HTTPServerConfig{
-		Log:    log,
-		Config: config,
-	}
-	server, err := systemapi.NewServer(cfg)
+	server, err := systemapi.NewServer(log, config)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("Error creating server", "err", err)
 		return err
diff --git a/systemapi-config.toml b/systemapi-config.toml
index 612dcaa..1b8b291 100644
--- a/systemapi-config.toml
+++ b/systemapi-config.toml
@@ -5,14 +5,19 @@ pprof = true
 log_json = false
 log_debug = true
 
-# Enable HTTP Basic auth by setting a file for the hashed secret
-basic_auth_secret_path = "basic-auth-secret.txt"
+# HTTP Basic Auth
+basic_auth_secret_path = "basic-auth-secret.txt" # basic auth is supported if a path is provided
+basic_auth_secret_salt = "D;%yL9TS:5PalS/d"      # use a random string for the salt
+
+# HTTP server timeouts
+# http_read_timeout_ms = 2500
+# http_write_timeout_ms = 2500
 
 [actions]
+echo_test = "echo test"
 # reboot = "reboot"
 # rbuilder_restart = "/etc/init.d/rbuilder restart"
 # rbuilder_stop = "/etc/init.d/rbuilder stop"
-echo_test = "echo test"
 
 [file_uploads]
 testfile = "/tmp/testfile.txt"
diff --git a/systemapi/config.go b/systemapi/config.go
index ff02b41..cd00cfa 100644
--- a/systemapi/config.go
+++ b/systemapi/config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ type systemAPIConfigGeneral struct {
 	EnablePprof bool   `toml:"pprof"` // Enables pprof endpoints
 
 	BasicAuthSecretPath string `toml:"basic_auth_secret_path"`
+	BasicAuthSecretSalt string `toml:"basic_auth_secret_salt"`
+
+	HTTPReadTimeoutMillis  int `toml:"http_read_timeout_ms"`
+	HTTPWriteTimeoutMillis int `toml:"http_write_timeout_ms"`
 }
 
 type SystemAPIConfig struct {
diff --git a/systemapi/middleware.go b/systemapi/middleware.go
index 0fc7310..c7ee1d7 100644
--- a/systemapi/middleware.go
+++ b/systemapi/middleware.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // BasicAuth implements a simple middleware handler for adding basic http auth to a route.
-func BasicAuth(realm string, getHashedCredentials func() map[string]string) func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
+func BasicAuth(realm, salt string, getHashedCredentials func() map[string]string) func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	return func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 		return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			// Loading credentials dynamically because they can be updated at runtime
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ func BasicAuth(realm string, getHashedCredentials func() map[string]string) func
 			// Hash the password and see if credentials are allowed
 			h := sha256.New()
 			h.Write([]byte(pass))
+			h.Write([]byte(salt))
 			userPassHash := hex.EncodeToString(h.Sum(nil))
 
 			// Compare to allowed credentials
diff --git a/systemapi/server.go b/systemapi/server.go
index efe3a79..214decd 100644
--- a/systemapi/server.go
+++ b/systemapi/server.go
@@ -23,25 +23,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-chi/httplog/v2"
 )
 
-type HTTPServerConfig struct {
-	Config *SystemAPIConfig
-	Log    *httplog.Logger
-
-	DrainDuration            time.Duration
-	GracefulShutdownDuration time.Duration
-	ReadTimeout              time.Duration
-	WriteTimeout             time.Duration
-}
-
 type Event struct {
 	ReceivedAt time.Time `json:"received_at"`
 	Message    string    `json:"message"`
 }
 
 type Server struct {
-	cfg *HTTPServerConfig
+	cfg *SystemAPIConfig
 	log *httplog.Logger
-
 	srv *http.Server
 
 	events     []Event
@@ -50,68 +39,68 @@ type Server struct {
 	basicAuthHash string
 }
 
-func NewServer(cfg *HTTPServerConfig) (srv *Server, err error) {
-	srv = &Server{
+func NewServer(log *httplog.Logger, cfg *SystemAPIConfig) (server *Server, err error) {
+	server = &Server{
 		cfg:    cfg,
-		log:    cfg.Log,
+		log:    log,
 		srv:    nil,
 		events: make([]Event, 0),
 	}
 
 	// Load (or create) file with basic auth secret hash
-	err = srv.loadBasicAuthSecretFromFile()
+	err = server.loadBasicAuthSecretFromFile()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// Setup the pipe file
-	if cfg.Config.General.PipeFile != "" {
-		os.Remove(cfg.Config.General.PipeFile)
-		err := syscall.Mknod(cfg.Config.General.PipeFile, syscall.S_IFIFO|0o666, 0)
+	if cfg.General.PipeFile != "" {
+		os.Remove(cfg.General.PipeFile)
+		err := syscall.Mknod(cfg.General.PipeFile, syscall.S_IFIFO|0o666, 0)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		go srv.readPipeInBackground()
+		go server.readPipeInBackground()
 	}
 
 	// Create the HTTP server
-	srv.srv = &http.Server{
-		Addr:         cfg.Config.General.ListenAddr,
-		Handler:      srv.getRouter(),
-		ReadTimeout:  cfg.ReadTimeout,
-		WriteTimeout: cfg.WriteTimeout,
+	server.srv = &http.Server{
+		Addr:         cfg.General.ListenAddr,
+		Handler:      server.getRouter(),
+		ReadTimeout:  time.Duration(cfg.General.HTTPReadTimeoutMillis) * time.Millisecond,
+		WriteTimeout: time.Duration(cfg.General.HTTPWriteTimeoutMillis) * time.Millisecond,
 	}
 
-	return srv, nil
+	return server, nil
 }
 
 func (s *Server) loadBasicAuthSecretFromFile() error {
-	if s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath == "" {
+	if s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	// Create if the file does not exist
-	if _, err := os.Stat(s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		err = os.WriteFile(s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath, []byte{}, 0o600)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		err = os.WriteFile(s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath, []byte{}, 0o600)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create basic auth secret file: %w", err)
 		}
-		s.cfg.Log.Info("Basic auth file created, auth disabled until secret is configured", "file", s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+		s.log.Info("Basic auth file created, auth disabled until secret is configured", "file", s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 		s.basicAuthHash = ""
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	// Read the secret from the file
-	secret, err := os.ReadFile(s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+	secret, err := os.ReadFile(s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read basic auth secret file: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if len(secret) == 0 {
-		s.cfg.Log.Info("Basic auth file without secret loaded, auth disabled until secret is configured", "file", s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+		s.log.Info("Basic auth file without secret loaded, auth disabled until secret is configured", "file", s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 	} else {
-		s.cfg.Log.Info("Basic auth enabled", "file", s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+		s.log.Info("Basic auth enabled", "file", s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 	}
 	s.basicAuthHash = string(secret)
 	return nil
@@ -124,7 +113,7 @@ func (s *Server) getRouter() http.Handler {
 	mux.Use(middleware.Recoverer)
 
 	// Enable a custom HTTP Basic Auth middleware
-	mux.Use(BasicAuth("system-api", s.getBasicAuthHashedCredentials))
+	mux.Use(BasicAuth("system-api", s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretSalt, s.getBasicAuthHashedCredentials))
 
 	// Common APIs
 	mux.Get("/", s.handleLivenessCheck)
@@ -145,7 +134,7 @@ func (s *Server) getRouter() http.Handler {
 	mux.Post("/api/v1/file-upload/{file}", s.handleFileUpload)
 
 	// Optionally, pprof
-	if s.cfg.Config.General.EnablePprof {
+	if s.cfg.General.EnablePprof {
 		mux.Mount("/debug", middleware.Profiler())
 		s.log.Info("pprof API enabled: /debug/pprof/")
 	}
@@ -154,7 +143,7 @@ func (s *Server) getRouter() http.Handler {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) readPipeInBackground() {
-	file, err := os.OpenFile(s.cfg.Config.General.PipeFile, os.O_CREATE, os.ModeNamedPipe)
+	file, err := os.OpenFile(s.cfg.General.PipeFile, os.O_CREATE, os.ModeNamedPipe)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log.Error("Open named pipe file error:", "error", err)
 		return
@@ -176,7 +165,7 @@ func (s *Server) readPipeInBackground() {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) Start() {
-	s.log.Info("Starting HTTP server", "listenAddress", s.cfg.Config.General.ListenAddr)
+	s.log.Info("Starting HTTP server", "listenAddress", s.cfg.General.ListenAddr)
 	if err := s.srv.ListenAndServe(); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, http.ErrServerClosed) {
 		s.log.Error("HTTP server failed", "err", err)
 	}
@@ -189,8 +178,8 @@ func (s *Server) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
 		s.log.Error("HTTP server shutdown failed", "err", err)
 	}
 
-	if s.cfg.Config.General.PipeFile != "" {
-		os.Remove(s.cfg.Config.General.PipeFile)
+	if s.cfg.General.PipeFile != "" {
+		os.Remove(s.cfg.General.PipeFile)
 	}
 
 	s.log.Info("HTTP server shutdown")
@@ -273,12 +262,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleAction(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	action := chi.URLParam(r, "action")
 	s.log.Info("Received action", "action", action)
 
-	if s.cfg.Config == nil {
+	if s.cfg == nil {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotImplemented)
 		return
 	}
 
-	cmd, ok := s.cfg.Config.Actions[action]
+	cmd, ok := s.cfg.Actions[action]
 	if !ok {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
@@ -305,12 +294,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleFileUpload(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	log := s.log.With("file", fileArg)
 	log.Info("Receiving file upload")
 
-	if s.cfg.Config == nil {
+	if s.cfg == nil {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotImplemented)
 		return
 	}
 
-	filename, ok := s.cfg.Config.FileUploads[fileArg]
+	filename, ok := s.cfg.FileUploads[fileArg]
 	if !ok {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
@@ -354,7 +343,7 @@ func (s *Server) getBasicAuthHashedCredentials() map[string]string {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) handleSetBasicAuthCreds(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath == "" {
+	if s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath == "" {
 		s.log.Warn("Basic auth secret path not set")
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotImplemented)
 		return
@@ -371,10 +360,11 @@ func (s *Server) handleSetBasicAuthCreds(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	// Create hash of the secret
 	h := sha256.New()
 	h.Write(secret)
+	h.Write([]byte(s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretSalt))
 	secretHash := hex.EncodeToString(h.Sum(nil))
 
 	// write secret to file
-	err = os.WriteFile(s.cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath, []byte(secretHash), 0o600)
+	err = os.WriteFile(s.cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath, []byte(secretHash), 0o600)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log.Error("Failed to write secret to file", "err", err)
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
diff --git a/systemapi/server_test.go b/systemapi/server_test.go
index 1dd37dd..0c4f782 100644
--- a/systemapi/server_test.go
+++ b/systemapi/server_test.go
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ func getTestLogger() *httplog.Logger {
 	})
 }
 
-func getTestConfig() *HTTPServerConfig {
-	return &HTTPServerConfig{
-		Log:    getTestLogger(),
-		Config: NewSystemAPIConfig(),
-	}
+func newTestServer(t *testing.T) *Server {
+	t.Helper()
+	srv, err := NewServer(getTestLogger(), NewSystemAPIConfig())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return srv
 }
 
 // Helper to execute an API request with optional basic auth
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@ func createRequestRunner(t *testing.T, router http.Handler, method, url string)
 
 func TestGeneralHandlers(t *testing.T) {
 	// Instantiate the server
-	srv, err := NewServer(getTestConfig())
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	srv := newTestServer(t)
 	router := srv.getRouter()
 
 	// Test /livez
@@ -94,31 +93,28 @@ func TestGeneralHandlers(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBasicAuth(t *testing.T) {
 	tempDir := t.TempDir()
 	basicAuthSecret := []byte("secret")
+	basicAuthSalt := "salt"
 
 	// Create a hash of the basic auth secret
 	h := sha256.New()
 	h.Write(basicAuthSecret)
+	h.Write([]byte(basicAuthSalt))
 	basicAuthSecretHash := hex.EncodeToString(h.Sum(nil))
 
 	// Create the config
-	cfg := getTestConfig()
-	cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath = tempDir + "/basic_auth_secret"
+	cfg := NewSystemAPIConfig()
+	cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath = tempDir + "/basic_auth_secret"
+	cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretSalt = basicAuthSalt
 
 	// Create the server instance
-	_, err := NewServer(cfg)
+	srv, err := NewServer(getTestLogger(), cfg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Ensure the basic auth secret file was created
-	_, err = os.Stat(cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+	_, err = os.Stat(cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Create the temporary file to store the basic auth secret
-	err = os.WriteFile(cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath, []byte{}, 0o600)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	// Server will work now
-	srv, err := NewServer(cfg)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	// Get the router
 	router := srv.getRouter()
 
 	// Prepare request helpers
@@ -138,7 +134,7 @@ func TestBasicAuth(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, code)
 
 	// Ensure hash was written to file and is reproducible
-	secretFromFile, err := os.ReadFile(cfg.Config.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
+	secretFromFile, err := os.ReadFile(cfg.General.BasicAuthSecretPath)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, basicAuthSecretHash, string(secretFromFile))