diff --git a/apiserver/bll/auth/__init__.py b/apiserver/bll/auth/__init__.py
index e333dfb..c7d9815 100644
--- a/apiserver/bll/auth/__init__.py
+++ b/apiserver/bll/auth/__init__.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AuthBLL:
                 feature_set="basic",
             )
 
-            return GetTokenResponse(token=token.decode("ascii"))
+            return GetTokenResponse(token=token)
 
     @staticmethod
     def create_user(request: CreateUserRequest, call: APICall = None) -> str:
diff --git a/apiserver/bll/event/events_iterator.py b/apiserver/bll/event/events_iterator.py
index 62da7c0..ec4b2d5 100644
--- a/apiserver/bll/event/events_iterator.py
+++ b/apiserver/bll/event/events_iterator.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class Scroll(jsonmodels.models.Base):
             key=config.get(
                 "services.events.events_retrieval.scroll_id_key", "1234567890"
             ),
-        ).decode()
+        )
 
     @classmethod
     def from_scroll_id(cls, scroll_id: str):
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ class Scroll(jsonmodels.models.Base):
                     key=config.get(
                         "services.events.events_retrieval.scroll_id_key", "1234567890"
                     ),
+                    algorithms=["HS256"],
                 )
             )
         except jwt.PyJWTError:
diff --git a/apiserver/requirements.txt b/apiserver/requirements.txt
index a929aa5..e77ca9c 100644
--- a/apiserver/requirements.txt
+++ b/apiserver/requirements.txt
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ nested_dict>=1.61
 packaging==20.3
 psutil>=5.6.5
 pyhocon>=0.3.35
-pyjwt<2.0.0
+pyjwt>=2.4.0
 pymongo[srv]==3.12.0
 python-rapidjson>=0.6.3
 redis==3.5.3
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ requests>=2.13.0
 semantic_version>=2.8.3,<3
 six
 tqdm
-validators>=0.12.4
+validators>=0.12.4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apiserver/service_repo/auth/payload/token.py b/apiserver/service_repo/auth/payload/token.py
index a21e923..9fa879d 100644
--- a/apiserver/service_repo/auth/payload/token.py
+++ b/apiserver/service_repo/auth/payload/token.py
@@ -9,22 +9,25 @@ from apiserver.database.model.auth import Role
 from .auth_type import AuthType
 from .payload import Payload
 
-token_secret = config.get('secure.auth.token_secret')
+token_secret = config.get("secure.auth.token_secret")
 
 
 log = config.logger(__file__)
 
 
 class Token(Payload):
-    default_expiration_sec = config.get('apiserver.auth.default_expiration_sec')
+    default_expiration_sec = config.get("apiserver.auth.default_expiration_sec")
 
-    def __init__(self, exp=None, iat=None, nbf=None, env=None, identity=None, entities=None, **_):
+    def __init__(
+        self, exp=None, iat=None, nbf=None, env=None, identity=None, entities=None, **_
+    ):
         super(Token, self).__init__(
-            AuthType.bearer_token, identity=identity, entities=entities)
+            AuthType.bearer_token, identity=identity, entities=entities
+        )
         self.exp = exp
         self.iat = iat
         self.nbf = nbf
-        self._env = env or config.get('env', '<unknown>')
+        self._env = env or config.get("env", "<unknown>")
 
     @property
     def env(self):
@@ -65,7 +68,12 @@ class Token(Payload):
 
     @classmethod
     def decode(cls, encoded_token, verify=True):
-        return jwt.decode(encoded_token, token_secret, verify=verify)
+        options = (
+            {"verify_signature": False, "verify_exp": True} if not verify else None
+        )
+        return jwt.decode(
+            encoded_token, token_secret, algorithms=["HS256"], options=options
+        )
 
     @classmethod
     def from_encoded_token(cls, encoded_token, verify=True):
@@ -74,23 +82,24 @@ class Token(Payload):
             token = Token.from_dict(decoded)
             assert isinstance(token, Token)
             if not token.identity:
-                raise errors.unauthorized.InvalidToken('token missing identity')
+                raise errors.unauthorized.InvalidToken("token missing identity")
             return token
         except Exception as e:
-            raise errors.unauthorized.InvalidToken('failed parsing token, %s' % e.args[0])
+            raise errors.unauthorized.InvalidToken(
+                "failed parsing token, %s" % e.args[0]
+            )
 
     @classmethod
-    def create_encoded_token(cls, identity, expiration_sec=None, entities=None, **extra_payload):
+    def create_encoded_token(
+        cls, identity, expiration_sec=None, entities=None, **extra_payload
+    ):
         if identity.role not in (Role.system,):
             # limit expiration time for all roles but an internal service
             expiration_sec = expiration_sec or cls.default_expiration_sec
 
         now = datetime.utcnow()
 
-        token = cls(
-            identity=identity,
-            entities=entities,
-            iat=now)
+        token = cls(identity=identity, entities=entities, iat=now)
 
         if expiration_sec:
             # add 'expiration' claim