diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/.env.development b/src/frontend/apps/desk/.env.development
index f661e98..96383c2 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/.env.development
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/.env.development
@@ -1,5 +1 @@
 NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:8071/api/v1.0/
-NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_URL=http://localhost:8080/
-NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_REALM=people
-NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_CLIENT_ID=people-front
-NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_LOGIN=true
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/package.json b/src/frontend/apps/desk/package.json
index 60c11bf..a02a0e6 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/package.json
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/package.json
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
     "fetch-mock": "9.11.0",
     "jest": "29.7.0",
     "jest-environment-jsdom": "29.7.0",
-    "keycloak-js": "23.0.6",
     "node-fetch": "2.7.0",
     "prettier": "3.2.5",
     "stylelint": "16.2.1",
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/__tests__/fetchApi.test.tsx b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/__tests__/fetchApi.test.tsx
index 85dd963..0976bf4 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/__tests__/fetchApi.test.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/__tests__/fetchApi.test.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import fetchMock from 'fetch-mock';
 
+import { fetchAPI } from '@/api';
 import { useAuthStore } from '@/features/auth';
 
-import { fetchAPI } from '../fetchApi';
-
 describe('fetchAPI', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL = 'http://some.api.url/api/v1.0/';
@@ -20,29 +19,27 @@ describe('fetchAPI', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it('adds the BEARER automatically', () => {
-    useAuthStore.setState({ token: 'my-token' });
-
+  it('adds the credentials automatically', () => {
     fetchMock.mock('http://some.api.url/api/v1.0/some/url', 200);
 
     void fetchAPI('some/url', { body: 'some body' });
 
     expect(fetchMock.lastOptions()).toEqual({
       body: 'some body',
+      credentials: 'include',
       headers: {
-        Authorization: 'Bearer my-token',
         'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       },
     });
   });
 
   it('logout if 401 response', async () => {
-    useAuthStore.setState({ token: 'my-token' });
+    useAuthStore.setState({ userData: { email: 'test@test.com' } });
 
     fetchMock.mock('http://some.api.url/api/v1.0/some/url', 401);
 
     await fetchAPI('some/url');
 
-    expect(useAuthStore.getState().token).toBeNull();
+    expect(useAuthStore.getState().userData).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/fetchApi.ts b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/fetchApi.ts
index 84fb5b2..671e1d3 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/fetchApi.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/api/fetchApi.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,41 @@
-import { useAuthStore } from '@/features/auth';
+import { login, useAuthStore } from '@/features/auth';
+
+/**
+ * Retrieves the CSRF token from the document's cookies.
+ *
+ * @returns {string|null} The CSRF token if found in the cookies, or null if not present.
+ */
+function getCSRFToken() {
+  return document.cookie
+    .split(';')
+    .filter((cookie) => cookie.trim().startsWith('csrftoken='))
+    .map((cookie) => cookie.split('=')[1])
+    .pop();
+}
 
 export const fetchAPI = async (input: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
   const apiUrl = `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL}${input}`;
-  const { token, logout } = useAuthStore.getState();
+  const { logout } = useAuthStore.getState();
+
+  const csrfToken = getCSRFToken();
 
   const response = await fetch(apiUrl, {
     ...init,
+    credentials: 'include',
     headers: {
       ...init?.headers,
       'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-      Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+      ...(csrfToken && { 'X-CSRFToken': csrfToken }),
     },
   });
 
-  response.status === 401 && logout();
+  // todo - handle 401, redirect to login screen
+  // todo - please have a look to this documentation page https://mozilla-django-oidc.readthedocs.io/en/stable/xhr.html
+  if (response.status === 401) {
+    logout();
+    // Fix - force re-logging the user, will be refactored
+    login();
+  }
 
   return response;
 };
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/custom-next.d.ts b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/custom-next.d.ts
index 5dc9081..5919942 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/custom-next.d.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/custom-next.d.ts
@@ -20,9 +20,5 @@ declare module '*.svg?url' {
 namespace NodeJS {
   interface ProcessEnv {
     NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL?: string;
-    NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_URL?: string;
-    NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_REALM?: string;
-    NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_CLIENT_ID?: string;
-    NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_LOGIN?: string;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/Auth.tsx b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/Auth.tsx
index 6c9fb2b..865a815 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/Auth.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/Auth.tsx
@@ -6,15 +6,11 @@ import { Box } from '@/components';
 import { useAuthStore } from './useAuthStore';
 
 export const Auth = ({ children }: PropsWithChildren) => {
-  const { initAuth, authenticated, initialized } = useAuthStore();
+  const { authenticated, initAuth } = useAuthStore();
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (initialized) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     initAuth();
-  }, [initAuth, initialized]);
+  }, [initAuth]);
 
   if (!authenticated) {
     return (
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/getMe.tsx b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/getMe.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e6992e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/getMe.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { fetchAPI } from '@/api';
+
+/**
+ * Represents user data retrieved from the API.
+ * This interface is incomplete, and will be
+ * refactored in a near future.
+ *
+ * @interface UserData
+ * @property {string} email - The email of the user.
+ */
+export interface UserData {
+  email: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Asynchronously retrieves the current user's data from the API.
+ * This function is called during frontend initialization to check
+ * the user's authentication status through a session cookie.
+ *
+ * @async
+ * @function getMe
+ * @throws {Error} Throws an error if the API request fails.
+ * @returns {Promise<UserData>} A promise that resolves to the user data.
+ */
+export const getMe = async (): Promise<UserData> => {
+  const response = await fetchAPI(`users/me/`);
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`Couldn't fetch user data: ${response.statusText}`);
+  }
+  return response.json() as Promise<UserData>;
+};
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/index.ts b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2faeac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/api/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export * from './getMe';
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/keycloak.ts b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/keycloak.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e386fe..0000000
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/keycloak.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-import Keycloak, { KeycloakConfig } from 'keycloak-js';
-
-const keycloakConfig: KeycloakConfig = {
-  url: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_URL,
-  realm: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_REALM || '',
-  clientId: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_CLIENT_ID || '',
-};
-
-export const initKeycloak = (onAuthSuccess: (_token?: string) => void) => {
-  const keycloak = new Keycloak(keycloakConfig);
-  keycloak
-    .init({
-      onLoad: 'login-required',
-    })
-    .then((authenticated) => {
-      if (authenticated) {
-        onAuthSuccess(keycloak.token);
-      }
-    })
-    .catch(() => {
-      throw new Error('Failed to initialize Keycloak.');
-    });
-};
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/useAuthStore.tsx b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/useAuthStore.tsx
index 3b56929..3da8d07 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/useAuthStore.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/desk/src/features/auth/useAuthStore.tsx
@@ -1,40 +1,39 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand';
 
-import { initKeycloak } from './keycloak';
+import { UserData, getMe } from '@/features/auth/api';
+
+export const login = () => {
+  window.location.replace(
+    new URL('authenticate/', process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL).href,
+  );
+};
 
 interface AuthStore {
   authenticated: boolean;
   initAuth: () => void;
-  initialized: boolean;
   logout: () => void;
-  token: string | null;
+  userData?: UserData;
 }
 
 const initialState = {
   authenticated: false,
-  initialized: false,
-  token: null,
+  userData: undefined,
 };
 
 export const useAuthStore = create<AuthStore>((set) => ({
   authenticated: initialState.authenticated,
-  initialized: initialState.initialized,
-  token: initialState.token,
-
-  initAuth: () =>
-    set((state) => {
-      if (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_KEYCLOAK_LOGIN && !state.initialized) {
-        initKeycloak((token) => set({ authenticated: true, token }));
-        return { initialized: true };
-      }
-
-      /**
-       * TODO: Implement OIDC production authentication
-       */
-
-      return {};
-    }),
+  userData: initialState.userData,
 
+  initAuth: () => {
+    getMe()
+      .then((data: UserData) => {
+        set({ authenticated: true, userData: data });
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // todo - implement a proper login screen to prevent automatic navigation.
+        login();
+      });
+  },
   logout: () => {
     set(initialState);
   },
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-desk/common.ts b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-desk/common.ts
index 60ae6ab..4dc16d2 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-desk/common.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-desk/common.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ export const keyCloakSignIn = async (page: Page, browserName: string) => {
       .getByRole('textbox', { name: 'password' })
       .fill(`password-e2e-${browserName}`);
 
-    await page.click('input[type="submit"]');
+    await page.click('input[type="submit"]', { force: true });
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/playwright.config.ts b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/playwright.config.ts
index 8f9c42d..8179436 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/playwright.config.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';
 
-const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3200;
+const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;
 
 const baseURL = `http://localhost:${PORT}`;
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/yarn.lock b/src/frontend/yarn.lock
index c553d9f..1d9f050 100644
--- a/src/frontend/yarn.lock
+++ b/src/frontend/yarn.lock
@@ -3899,11 +3899,6 @@ balanced-match@^2.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/balanced-match/-/balanced-match-2.0.0.tgz#dc70f920d78db8b858535795867bf48f820633d9"
   integrity sha512-1ugUSr8BHXRnK23KfuYS+gVMC3LB8QGH9W1iGtDPsNWoQbgtXSExkBu2aDR4epiGWZOjZsj6lDl/N/AqqTC3UA==
 
-base64-js@^1.5.1:
-  version "1.5.1"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/base64-js/-/base64-js-1.5.1.tgz#1b1b440160a5bf7ad40b650f095963481903930a"
-  integrity sha512-AKpaYlHn8t4SVbOHCy+b5+KKgvR4vrsD8vbvrbiQJps7fKDTkjkDry6ji0rUJjC0kzbNePLwzxq8iypo41qeWA==
-
 boolbase@^1.0.0:
   version "1.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/boolbase/-/boolbase-1.0.0.tgz#68dff5fbe60c51eb37725ea9e3ed310dcc1e776e"
@@ -6554,11 +6549,6 @@ jest@29.7.0:
     import-local "^3.0.2"
     jest-cli "^29.7.0"
 
-js-sha256@^0.10.1:
-  version "0.10.1"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/js-sha256/-/js-sha256-0.10.1.tgz#b40104ba1368e823fdd5f41b66b104b15a0da60d"
-  integrity sha512-5obBtsz9301ULlsgggLg542s/jqtddfOpV5KJc4hajc9JV8GeY2gZHSVpYBn4nWqAUTJ9v+xwtbJ1mIBgIH5Vw==
-
 "js-tokens@^3.0.0 || ^4.0.0", js-tokens@^4.0.0:
   version "4.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/js-tokens/-/js-tokens-4.0.0.tgz#19203fb59991df98e3a287050d4647cdeaf32499"
@@ -6684,20 +6674,6 @@ jsonfile@^6.0.1:
     object.assign "^4.1.4"
     object.values "^1.1.6"
 
-jwt-decode@^4.0.0:
-  version "4.0.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/jwt-decode/-/jwt-decode-4.0.0.tgz#2270352425fd413785b2faf11f6e755c5151bd4b"
-  integrity sha512-+KJGIyHgkGuIq3IEBNftfhW/LfWhXUIY6OmyVWjliu5KH1y0fw7VQ8YndE2O4qZdMSd9SqbnC8GOcZEy0Om7sA==
-
-keycloak-js@23.0.6:
-  version "23.0.6"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/keycloak-js/-/keycloak-js-23.0.6.tgz#a494cc1eddf5462322a9f2247b381bc22fb43747"
-  integrity sha512-Pn7iIEHPn7BcQFCbViKRv+8+v9l82oWNRVQr9wQGjp2BNEl9JpTsXjp84xQjwzaLKghG7QV7VwZrWBhiXJeM0Q==
-  dependencies:
-    base64-js "^1.5.1"
-    js-sha256 "^0.10.1"
-    jwt-decode "^4.0.0"
-
 keyv@^4.5.3, keyv@^4.5.4:
   version "4.5.4"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/keyv/-/keyv-4.5.4.tgz#a879a99e29452f942439f2a405e3af8b31d4de93"