diff --git a/app/api/client/login/route.ts b/app/api/client/login/route.ts
index 29caed9..e6cd2c8 100644
--- a/app/api/client/login/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/client/login/route.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { headers } from 'next/headers';
 import { query } from '@/lib/db';
 import bcrypt from 'bcryptjs';
 import * as jose from 'jose';
+import { getJwtSecret } from '@/lib/auth-utils';
 import { isRateLimited } from '@/lib/rate-limit';
 import { auditLog } from '@/lib/audit-logger';
 
@@ -31,12 +32,7 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Invalid credentials' }, { status: 401 });
     }
 
-    if (!process.env.JWT_SECRET || process.env.JWT_SECRET.length < 64) {
-       throw new Error("JWT_SECRET missing or too weak (min 64 chars required)");
-    }
-
-    // Generate JWT using jose
-    const secret = new TextEncoder().encode(process.env.JWT_SECRET);
+    const secret = await getJwtSecret();
     const token = await new jose.SignJWT({ id: user.id, username: user.username })
       .setProtectedHeader({ alg: 'HS256' })
       .setIssuedAt()
diff --git a/app/api/sessions/[id]/route.ts b/app/api/sessions/[id]/route.ts
index 8fec119..edc43ae 100644
--- a/app/api/sessions/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/sessions/[id]/route.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export async function DELETE(
         const { id } = await params;
         if (!id) throw new Error('ID required');
         
-        await query('UPDATE sessions SET status = "disconnected", end_time = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = ?', [id]);
+        await query('UPDATE sessions SET status = ?, end_time = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = ?', ['disconnected', id]);
         return NextResponse.json({ success: true });
     } catch (error) {
         return handleApiError(error);
diff --git a/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts b/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts
index ebf8849..1c7f8a1 100644
--- a/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { z } from 'zod';
+import bcrypt from 'bcryptjs';
 import pool from '@/lib/db';
 import { auditLog } from '@/lib/audit-logger';
 
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ export async function PATCH(
     
     if (validatedData.data.password) {
       updates.push('password_hash = ?');
-      values.push(validatedData.data.password);
+      values.push(await bcrypt.hash(validatedData.data.password, 10));
     }
 
     if (updates.length === 0) {
diff --git a/app/api/users/route.ts b/app/api/users/route.ts
index 062061a..04fccbd 100644
--- a/app/api/users/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/users/route.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { z } from 'zod';
+import bcrypt from 'bcryptjs';
 import pool from '@/lib/db';
 import { auditLog } from '@/lib/audit-logger';
 
@@ -58,7 +59,8 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
     params.push(limit, offset);
 
     const [rows] = await pool.execute(sql, params);
-    const [countResult]: any = await pool.execute(countSql, params.slice(0, 1));
+    const countParams = search ? [`%${search}%`] : [];
+    const [countResult]: any = await pool.execute(countSql, countParams);
     const total = countResult[0].total;
 
     return NextResponse.json({
@@ -104,12 +106,13 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
     // Convert empty string from date input to null
     const finalExpiresAt = expires_at ? new Date(expires_at) : null;
 
-    // In a real app, hash password here
+    const hashedPassword = password ? await bcrypt.hash(password, 10) : null;
+
     const [result]: any = await pool.execute(
       `INSERT INTO vpn_users
        (username, password_hash, role, status, traffic_limit_gb, max_connections, expires_at, cisco_password, l2tp_password, wg_pubkey, xray_uuid, port, main_protocol)
        VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`,
-      [username, password || null, role, status, traffic_limit_gb, max_connections, finalExpiresAt, cisco_password || null, l2tp_password || null, wg_pubkey || null, xray_uuid || null, port || null, main_protocol || null]
+      [username, hashedPassword, role, status, traffic_limit_gb, max_connections, finalExpiresAt, cisco_password || null, l2tp_password || null, wg_pubkey || null, xray_uuid || null, port || null, main_protocol || null]
     );
 
     const userId = result.insertId;
diff --git a/lib/db.ts b/lib/db.ts
index 360d757..4b20a3e 100644
--- a/lib/db.ts
+++ b/lib/db.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export async function validateConnection() {
 
 // Ensure connection is validated on startup
 if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
-  validateConnection();
+  validateConnection().catch(err => console.error('[db] Failed to initialize database:', err));
 }
 
 /**