diff --git a/api/src/utils/hooks.ts b/api/src/utils/hooks.ts
index 0fc598bb..2b5416a7 100644
--- a/api/src/utils/hooks.ts
+++ b/api/src/utils/hooks.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-import {
-  Forbidden,
-  MethodNotAllowed,
-  NotAuthenticated,
-} from "@feathersjs/errors";
+import { Forbidden, MethodNotAllowed } from "@feathersjs/errors";
 import { HookContext } from "@feathersjs/feathers";
 import { decode, verify } from "jsonwebtoken";
 import jwks, { ClientOptions, JwksClient, SigningKey } from "jwks-rsa";
@@ -47,38 +43,25 @@ export async function canDeleteInvite(context: HookContext) {
 }
 
 export async function verifyJWT(context: HookContext) {
-  const authHeader = context.params.headers?.authorization as string;
-  if (!authHeader) {
-    return Promise.reject(new Forbidden("The authorization header is missing"));
-  }
-  const token = authHeader.split(" ")[1];
-
-  // fetch public key from JWKS url and verify token
-  const jwksOptions = {
-    jwksUri: context.app.get("authentication").jwksUri,
-  } as ClientOptions;
-  const client = jwks(jwksOptions) as JwksClient;
-  const keys = (await client.getSigningKeysAsync()) as SigningKey[];
-
-  let decoded;
-  try {
-    decoded = verify(token, keys[0].getPublicKey(), {
-      algorithms: context.app.get("authentication").algorithms,
-    });
-  } catch (error) {
-    throw new NotAuthenticated(`Authentication failed: ${error.message}`);
+  const token = extractIdToken(
+    context.params.headers?.authorization as string
+  );
+  if (!token) {
+    throw new Forbidden("The authorization header is missing");
   }
+  const keys = await getAuthSigningKeys(context);
+  verifyIdToken(token, keys, context);
   return context;
 }
 
 export function verifyJWTRoles(roles: string[]) {
   return async (context: HookContext) => {
-    const authHeader = context.params.headers?.authorization as string;
-    if (!authHeader) {
+    const token = extractIdToken(
+      context.params.headers?.authorization as string
+    );
+    if (!token) {
       throw new Forbidden("The authorization header is missing");
     }
-    const token = authHeader.split(" ")[1];
-
     const decoded = decode(token) as {
       [key: string]: any;
     };
@@ -95,12 +78,12 @@ export function verifyJWTRoles(roles: string[]) {
 
 export function setRequestUser(field: string) {
   return async (context: HookContext) => {
-    const authHeader = context.params.headers?.authorization as string;
-    if (!authHeader) {
+    const token = extractIdToken(
+      context.params.headers?.authorization as string
+    );
+    if (!token) {
       throw new Forbidden("The authorization header is missing");
     }
-    const token = authHeader.split(" ")[1];
-
     const decoded = decode(token) as {
       [key: string]: any;
     };
@@ -112,36 +95,65 @@ export function setRequestUser(field: string) {
 
 export async function validateCredentialRequest(context: HookContext) {
   const dbClient = (await context.app.get("mongoClient")) as Db;
-  const authHeader = context.params.headers?.authorization as string;
-  const idToken = authHeader.split(" ")[1];
+  const idToken = extractIdToken(
+    context.params.headers?.authorization as string
+  );
+  const keys = await getAuthSigningKeys(context);
+
+  const decoded = verifyIdToken(idToken, keys, context);
+  const inviteToken = await dbClient
+    .collection("issuer-invite")
+    .findOne({ token: context.data.token });
+  const requestedSchema = context.app
+    .get("public-schemas")
+    .get(context.data.schema_id || "default");
+
+  if (!decoded && !inviteToken && !requestedSchema) {
+    throw new Forbidden(
+      "The requested action could not be completed. Please check your settings and ensure you are either authenticated or requesting a public schema."
+    );
+  }
+  return context;
+}
 
+async function getAuthSigningKeys(context: HookContext): Promise<SigningKey[]> {
+  if (!context.app.get("authentication")) {
+    logger.debug(
+      "The [authentication] section is missing in the configuration"
+    );
+    return [] as SigningKey[];
+  }
   // fetch public key from JWKS url and verify token
   const jwksOptions = {
     jwksUri: context.app.get("authentication").jwksUri,
   } as ClientOptions;
   const oidcClient = jwks(jwksOptions) as JwksClient;
-  const keys = (await oidcClient.getSigningKeysAsync()) as SigningKey[];
+  return (await oidcClient.getSigningKeysAsync()) as SigningKey[];
+}
 
+function verifyIdToken(
+  idToken: string | undefined,
+  keys: SigningKey[],
+  context: HookContext
+): string | undefined | object {
+  if (!idToken || !context.app.get("authentication") || keys.length === 0) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
   let decoded;
   try {
     decoded = verify(idToken, keys[0].getPublicKey(), {
       algorithms: context.app.get("authentication").algorithms,
     });
   } catch (error) {
+    logger.error(error);
     decoded = undefined;
   }
+  return decoded;
+}
 
-  const inviteToken = await dbClient
-    .collection("issuer-invite")
-    .findOne({ token: context.data.token });
-  const requestedSchema = context.app
-    .get("public-schemas")
-    .get(context.data.schema_id || "default");
-
-  if (!decoded && !inviteToken && !requestedSchema) {
-    throw new Forbidden(
-      "The requested action could not be completed. Please check your settings and ensure you are either authenticated or requesting a public schema."
-    );
+function extractIdToken(authHeader: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (!authHeader || authHeader.split(" ").length === 1) {
+    return undefined;
   }
-  return context;
+  return authHeader.split(" ")[1];
 }