diff --git a/tasker-server/serverless.yml b/tasker-server/serverless.yml
index da8cbf6..48e420d 100644
--- a/tasker-server/serverless.yml
+++ b/tasker-server/serverless.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ provider:
   runtime: nodejs20.x
   environment:
     SLS_REGION: ${self:provider.region}
-    TASKER_TASK_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/project-table-name}
-    TASKER_PROJECT_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/task-table-name}
+    API_BASE_URL: ${ssm:/tasker/api/base-url}
+    TASKER_TASK_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/task-table-name}
+    TASKER_PROJECT_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/project-table-name}
     TASKER_USER_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/user-table-name}
     TASKER_TASK_EXTRA_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/task-extra-table-name}
     TASKER_TEAM_TABLE_NAME: ${ssm:/tasker/dynamodb/team-table-name}
@@ -32,6 +33,11 @@ provider:
               "arn:aws:dynamodb:${self:provider.region}:*:table/tasker-*",
               "arn:aws:dynamodb:${self:provider.region}:*:table/tasker-*/*",
             ]
+        - Effect: Allow
+          Action:
+            - execute-api:Invoke
+          Resource:
+            - "arn:aws:execute-api:${self:provider.region}:*:*/*/POST/users"
 
 functions:
   postSignUp:
@@ -52,6 +58,7 @@ functions:
           path: users
           method: post
           cors: true
+          authorizer: aws_iam
   # POST /projects
   createProject:
     handler: src/handlers/createProject.handler
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createProject.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createProject.ts
index cfdd20c..0770c47 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createProject.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createProject.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ const client = new DynamoDBClient({ region: SLS_REGION });
 const docClient = DynamoDBDocument.from(client);
 
 export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
-  const { name, description, startDate, endDate } = event.body;
+  const { name, description, startDate, endDate } = JSON.parse(event.body);
+
   try {
     const newProject = {
       category: "projects",
@@ -28,12 +29,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     await docClient.put(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 201,
+      statusCode: 201,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(newProject),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error creating project: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createTask.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createTask.ts
index bec3b1f..2ee1dcc 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createTask.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createTask.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     projectId,
     authorUserId,
     assignedUserId,
-  } = event.body;
+  } = JSON.parse(event.body);
   try {
     const newTask = {
       category: "tasks",
@@ -47,12 +47,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     await docClient.put(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 201,
+      statusCode: 201,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(newTask),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error creating task: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createUser.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createUser.ts
index 762586d..e991ac4 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/createUser.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/createUser.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const client = new DynamoDBClient({ region: SLS_REGION });
 const docClient = DynamoDBDocument.from(client);
 
 export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
-  const { username, cognitoId } = event.body;
+  const { username, cognitoId } = JSON.parse(event.body);
   const teamId = fetchRandomTeamId();
 
   try {
@@ -31,12 +31,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     await docClient.put(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 201,
+      statusCode: 201,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(newUser),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error creating user: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getProjects.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getProjects.ts
index 9375246..1dcbdeb 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getProjects.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getProjects.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     const projects = await docClient.query(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(projects.Items),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving projects: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTasks.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTasks.ts
index 5a722d0..ee56eb1 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTasks.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTasks.ts
@@ -53,12 +53,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     );
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(tasksWithDetails),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving tasks: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTeams.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTeams.ts
index 59d55d5..c1054a6 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTeams.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getTeams.ts
@@ -40,12 +40,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     );
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(teamsWithUsernames),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving teams: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUser.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUser.ts
index 872c08c..4f67b98 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUser.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUser.ts
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     const user = await docClient.query(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(user.Items?.[0] || {}),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving user: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUserTasks.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUserTasks.ts
index d6c2d07..e578766 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUserTasks.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUserTasks.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     const userTasks = [...authorTasks, ...assigneeTasks];
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(userTasks),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving tasks for user: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUsers.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUsers.ts
index 7d280eb..d111aaf 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUsers.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/getUsers.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     const users = await docClient.query(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(users.Items),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error retrieving users: ${error.message}`,
       }),
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/postSignUp.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/postSignUp.ts
index 26f9322..1ac6d39 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/postSignUp.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/postSignUp.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import https from "https";
+import path from "path";
+
+const API_BASE_URL = process.env.API_BASE_URL || "";
 
 export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
   const postData = JSON.stringify({
@@ -8,9 +11,11 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
   });
 
   const options = {
-    hostname: process.env.API_URL,
+    hostname: API_BASE_URL ? new URL(API_BASE_URL).hostname : "",
     port: 443,
-    path: "/users",
+    path: API_BASE_URL
+      ? path.join(new URL(API_BASE_URL).pathname, "/users")
+      : "",
     method: "POST",
     headers: {
       "Content-category": "application/json",
@@ -18,7 +23,7 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     },
   };
 
-  const responseBody = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+  const responseBody = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     const req = https.request(options, (res) => {
       res.setEncoding("utf8");
       let responseBody = "";
diff --git a/tasker-server/src/handlers/updateTaskStatus.ts b/tasker-server/src/handlers/updateTaskStatus.ts
index f9ad61e..77842d4 100644
--- a/tasker-server/src/handlers/updateTaskStatus.ts
+++ b/tasker-server/src/handlers/updateTaskStatus.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const docClient = DynamoDBDocument.from(client);
 
 export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
   const { taskId } = event.pathParameters;
-  const { status } = event.body;
+  const { status } = JSON.parse(event.body);
   try {
     const params: UpdateCommandInput = {
       TableName: TASKER_TASK_TABLE_NAME,
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<any> => {
     const updatedTask = await docClient.update(params);
 
     return {
-      status: 200,
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify(updatedTask.Attributes),
     };
   } catch (error: any) {
     return {
-      status: 500,
+      statusCode: 500,
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         message: `Error updating task: ${error.message}`,
       }),