diff --git a/backend/src/controllers/auth.controller.js b/backend/src/controllers/auth.controller.js
index 9abeb65..4279db7 100644
--- a/backend/src/controllers/auth.controller.js
+++ b/backend/src/controllers/auth.controller.js
@@ -30,6 +30,20 @@ const getGoogleClient = () => {
  */
 export const signup = catchAsync(async (req, res) => {
     const { name, email, password } = req.body;
+    try {
+        // STRICT PASSWORD VALIDATION GATEWAY
+        if (!password || password.length < 8) {
+            return res.status(400).json({ message: "Password must be at least 8 characters long" });
+        }
+        
+        const complexityRegex = /^(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*\d)(?=.*[@$!%*?&])[A-Za-z\d@$!%*?&]{8,}$/;
+        if (!complexityRegex.test(password)) {
+            return res.status(400).json({ 
+                message: "Password must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character" 
+            });
+        }
+
+
         const existing = await User.findOne({ email });
         if (existing) {
             return res.status(409).json({ message: "An account with this email already exists" });