diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/admin.py b/backend/app/api/routes/admin.py
index 18aa014..9dd0ba6 100755
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/admin.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/admin.py
@@ -345,54 +345,50 @@ async def admin_bulk_user_action(
     db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_async_db)
 ) -> Any:
     """
-    Perform bulk actions on multiple users.
+    Perform bulk actions on multiple users using optimized bulk operations.
 
+    Uses single UPDATE query instead of N individual queries for efficiency.
     Supported actions: activate, deactivate, delete
     """
-    affected_count = 0
-    failed_count = 0
-    failed_ids = []
-
     try:
-        for user_id in bulk_action.user_ids:
-            try:
-                user = await user_crud.get(db, id=user_id)
-                if not user:
-                    failed_count += 1
-                    failed_ids.append(user_id)
-                    continue
+        # Use efficient bulk operations instead of loop
+        if bulk_action.action == BulkAction.ACTIVATE:
+            affected_count = await user_crud.bulk_update_status(
+                db,
+                user_ids=bulk_action.user_ids,
+                is_active=True
+            )
+        elif bulk_action.action == BulkAction.DEACTIVATE:
+            affected_count = await user_crud.bulk_update_status(
+                db,
+                user_ids=bulk_action.user_ids,
+                is_active=False
+            )
+        elif bulk_action.action == BulkAction.DELETE:
+            # bulk_soft_delete automatically excludes the admin user
+            affected_count = await user_crud.bulk_soft_delete(
+                db,
+                user_ids=bulk_action.user_ids,
+                exclude_user_id=admin.id
+            )
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"Unsupported bulk action: {bulk_action.action}")
 
-                # Prevent affecting yourself
-                if user.id == admin.id:
-                    failed_count += 1
-                    failed_ids.append(user_id)
-                    continue
-
-                if bulk_action.action == BulkAction.ACTIVATE:
-                    await user_crud.update(db, db_obj=user, obj_in={"is_active": True})
-                elif bulk_action.action == BulkAction.DEACTIVATE:
-                    await user_crud.update(db, db_obj=user, obj_in={"is_active": False})
-                elif bulk_action.action == BulkAction.DELETE:
-                    await user_crud.soft_delete(db, id=user_id)
-
-                affected_count += 1
-
-            except Exception as e:
-                logger.error(f"Error processing user {user_id} in bulk action: {str(e)}")
-                failed_count += 1
-                failed_ids.append(user_id)
+        # Calculate failed count (requested - affected)
+        requested_count = len(bulk_action.user_ids)
+        failed_count = requested_count - affected_count
 
         logger.info(
             f"Admin {admin.email} performed bulk {bulk_action.action.value} "
-            f"on {affected_count} users ({failed_count} failed)"
+            f"on {affected_count} users ({failed_count} skipped/failed)"
         )
 
         return BulkActionResult(
             success=failed_count == 0,
             affected_count=affected_count,
             failed_count=failed_count,
-            message=f"Bulk {bulk_action.action.value}: {affected_count} users affected, {failed_count} failed",
-            failed_ids=failed_ids if failed_ids else None
+            message=f"Bulk {bulk_action.action.value}: {affected_count} users affected, {failed_count} skipped",
+            failed_ids=None  # Bulk operations don't track individual failures
         )
 
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/organizations.py b/backend/app/api/routes/organizations.py
index 2e9ed30..173d3dc 100755
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/organizations.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/organizations.py
@@ -51,23 +51,20 @@ async def get_my_organizations(
     Get all organizations the current user belongs to.
 
     Returns organizations with member count for each.
+    Uses optimized single query to avoid N+1 problem.
     """
     try:
-        orgs = await organization_crud.get_user_organizations(
+        # Get all org data in single query with JOIN and subquery
+        orgs_data = await organization_crud.get_user_organizations_with_details(
             db,
             user_id=current_user.id,
             is_active=is_active
         )
 
-        # Add member count and role to each organization
+        # Transform to response objects
         orgs_with_data = []
-        for org in orgs:
-            role = await organization_crud.get_user_role_in_org(
-                db,
-                user_id=current_user.id,
-                organization_id=org.id
-            )
-
+        for item in orgs_data:
+            org = item['organization']
             org_dict = {
                 "id": org.id,
                 "name": org.name,
@@ -77,7 +74,7 @@ async def get_my_organizations(
                 "settings": org.settings,
                 "created_at": org.created_at,
                 "updated_at": org.updated_at,
-                "member_count": await organization_crud.get_member_count(db, organization_id=org.id)
+                "member_count": item['member_count']
             }
             orgs_with_data.append(OrganizationResponse(**org_dict))
 
diff --git a/backend/app/core/auth.py b/backend/app/core/auth.py
index daabf98..6b9348d 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/auth.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/auth.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ logging.getLogger('passlib').setLevel(logging.ERROR)
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Union
 import uuid
+import asyncio
+from functools import partial
 
 from jose import jwt, JWTError
 from passlib.context import CryptContext
@@ -44,6 +46,49 @@ def get_password_hash(password: str) -> str:
     return pwd_context.hash(password)
 
 
+async def verify_password_async(plain_password: str, hashed_password: str) -> bool:
+    """
+    Verify a password against a hash asynchronously.
+
+    Runs the CPU-intensive bcrypt operation in a thread pool to avoid
+    blocking the event loop.
+
+    Args:
+        plain_password: Plain text password to verify
+        hashed_password: Hashed password to verify against
+
+    Returns:
+        True if password matches, False otherwise
+    """
+    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+    return await loop.run_in_executor(
+        None,
+        partial(pwd_context.verify, plain_password, hashed_password)
+    )
+
+
+async def get_password_hash_async(password: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Generate a password hash asynchronously.
+
+    Runs the CPU-intensive bcrypt operation in a thread pool to avoid
+    blocking the event loop. This is especially important during user
+    registration and password changes.
+
+    Args:
+        password: Plain text password to hash
+
+    Returns:
+        Hashed password string
+    """
+    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+    return await loop.run_in_executor(
+        None,
+        pwd_context.hash,
+        password
+    )
+
+
 def create_access_token(
         subject: Union[str, Any],
         expires_delta: Optional[timedelta] = None,
diff --git a/backend/app/crud/base_async.py b/backend/app/crud/base_async.py
index fed8e8a..66b40bf 100755
--- a/backend/app/crud/base_async.py
+++ b/backend/app/crud/base_async.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel
 from sqlalchemy import func, select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError, OperationalError, DataError
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Load
 
 from app.core.database_async import Base
 
@@ -35,8 +36,29 @@ class CRUDBaseAsync(Generic[ModelType, CreateSchemaType, UpdateSchemaType]):
         """
         self.model = model
 
-    async def get(self, db: AsyncSession, id: str) -> Optional[ModelType]:
-        """Get a single record by ID with UUID validation."""
+    async def get(
+        self,
+        db: AsyncSession,
+        id: str,
+        options: Optional[List[Load]] = None
+    ) -> Optional[ModelType]:
+        """
+        Get a single record by ID with UUID validation and optional eager loading.
+
+        Args:
+            db: Database session
+            id: Record UUID
+            options: Optional list of SQLAlchemy load options (e.g., joinedload, selectinload)
+                    for eager loading relationships to prevent N+1 queries
+
+        Returns:
+            Model instance or None if not found
+
+        Example:
+            # Eager load user relationship
+            from sqlalchemy.orm import joinedload
+            session = await session_crud.get(db, id=session_id, options=[joinedload(UserSession.user)])
+        """
         # Validate UUID format and convert to UUID object if string
         try:
             if isinstance(id, uuid.UUID):
@@ -48,18 +70,39 @@ class CRUDBaseAsync(Generic[ModelType, CreateSchemaType, UpdateSchemaType]):
             return None
 
         try:
-            result = await db.execute(
-                select(self.model).where(self.model.id == uuid_obj)
-            )
+            query = select(self.model).where(self.model.id == uuid_obj)
+
+            # Apply eager loading options if provided
+            if options:
+                for option in options:
+                    query = query.options(option)
+
+            result = await db.execute(query)
             return result.scalar_one_or_none()
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error retrieving {self.model.__name__} with id {id}: {str(e)}")
             raise
 
     async def get_multi(
-        self, db: AsyncSession, *, skip: int = 0, limit: int = 100
+        self,
+        db: AsyncSession,
+        *,
+        skip: int = 0,
+        limit: int = 100,
+        options: Optional[List[Load]] = None
     ) -> List[ModelType]:
-        """Get multiple records with pagination validation."""
+        """
+        Get multiple records with pagination validation and optional eager loading.
+
+        Args:
+            db: Database session
+            skip: Number of records to skip
+            limit: Maximum number of records to return
+            options: Optional list of SQLAlchemy load options for eager loading
+
+        Returns:
+            List of model instances
+        """
         # Validate pagination parameters
         if skip < 0:
             raise ValueError("skip must be non-negative")
@@ -69,9 +112,14 @@ class CRUDBaseAsync(Generic[ModelType, CreateSchemaType, UpdateSchemaType]):
             raise ValueError("Maximum limit is 1000")
 
         try:
-            result = await db.execute(
-                select(self.model).offset(skip).limit(limit)
-            )
+            query = select(self.model).offset(skip).limit(limit)
+
+            # Apply eager loading options if provided
+            if options:
+                for option in options:
+                    query = query.options(option)
+
+            result = await db.execute(query)
             return list(result.scalars().all())
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error retrieving multiple {self.model.__name__} records: {str(e)}")
diff --git a/backend/app/crud/session_async.py b/backend/app/crud/session_async.py
index 2bd9ea1..e9990ba 100755
--- a/backend/app/crud/session_async.py
+++ b/backend/app/crud/session_async.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
 from typing import List, Optional
 from uuid import UUID
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
-from sqlalchemy import and_, select, update, func
+from sqlalchemy import and_, select, update, delete, func
+from sqlalchemy.orm import selectinload, joinedload
 import logging
 
 from app.crud.base_async import CRUDBaseAsync
@@ -68,15 +69,17 @@ class CRUDSessionAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[UserSession, SessionCreate, SessionUpdate])
         db: AsyncSession,
         *,
         user_id: str,
-        active_only: bool = True
+        active_only: bool = True,
+        with_user: bool = False
     ) -> List[UserSession]:
         """
-        Get all sessions for a user.
+        Get all sessions for a user with optional eager loading.
 
         Args:
             db: Database session
             user_id: User ID
             active_only: If True, return only active sessions
+            with_user: If True, eager load user relationship to prevent N+1
 
         Returns:
             List of UserSession objects
@@ -87,6 +90,10 @@ class CRUDSessionAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[UserSession, SessionCreate, SessionUpdate])
 
             query = select(UserSession).where(UserSession.user_id == user_uuid)
 
+            # Add eager loading if requested to prevent N+1 queries
+            if with_user:
+                query = query.options(joinedload(UserSession.user))
+
             if active_only:
                 query = query.where(UserSession.is_active == True)
 
@@ -286,12 +293,14 @@ class CRUDSessionAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[UserSession, SessionCreate, SessionUpdate])
 
     async def cleanup_expired(self, db: AsyncSession, *, keep_days: int = 30) -> int:
         """
-        Clean up expired sessions.
+        Clean up expired sessions using optimized bulk DELETE.
 
         Deletes sessions that are:
         - Expired AND inactive
         - Older than keep_days
 
+        Uses single DELETE query instead of N individual deletes for efficiency.
+
         Args:
             db: Database session
             keep_days: Keep inactive sessions for this many days (for audit)
@@ -301,28 +310,24 @@ class CRUDSessionAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[UserSession, SessionCreate, SessionUpdate])
         """
         try:
             cutoff_date = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(days=keep_days)
+            now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
 
-            # Get sessions to delete
-            stmt = select(UserSession).where(
+            # Use bulk DELETE with WHERE clause - single query
+            stmt = delete(UserSession).where(
                 and_(
                     UserSession.is_active == False,
-                    UserSession.expires_at < datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+                    UserSession.expires_at < now,
                     UserSession.created_at < cutoff_date
                 )
             )
+
             result = await db.execute(stmt)
-            sessions_to_delete = list(result.scalars().all())
-
-            # Delete them
-            for session in sessions_to_delete:
-                await db.delete(session)
-
             await db.commit()
 
-            count = len(sessions_to_delete)
+            count = result.rowcount
 
             if count > 0:
-                logger.info(f"Cleaned up {count} expired sessions")
+                logger.info(f"Cleaned up {count} expired sessions using bulk DELETE")
 
             return count
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/backend/app/crud/user_async.py b/backend/app/crud/user_async.py
index c913806..03e50b9 100755
--- a/backend/app/crud/user_async.py
+++ b/backend/app/crud/user_async.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 # app/crud/user_async.py
 """Async CRUD operations for User model using SQLAlchemy 2.0 patterns."""
 from typing import Optional, Union, Dict, Any, List, Tuple
+from uuid import UUID
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
-from sqlalchemy import or_, select
+from sqlalchemy import or_, select, update
 from app.crud.base_async import CRUDBaseAsync
 from app.models.user import User
 from app.schemas.users import UserCreate, UserUpdate
-from app.core.auth import get_password_hash
+from app.core.auth import get_password_hash_async
 import logging
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -28,11 +30,14 @@ class CRUDUserAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[User, UserCreate, UserUpdate]):
             raise
 
     async def create(self, db: AsyncSession, *, obj_in: UserCreate) -> User:
-        """Create a new user with password hashing and error handling."""
+        """Create a new user with async password hashing and error handling."""
         try:
+            # Hash password asynchronously to avoid blocking event loop
+            password_hash = await get_password_hash_async(obj_in.password)
+
             db_obj = User(
                 email=obj_in.email,
-                password_hash=get_password_hash(obj_in.password),
+                password_hash=password_hash,
                 first_name=obj_in.first_name,
                 last_name=obj_in.last_name,
                 phone_number=obj_in.phone_number if hasattr(obj_in, 'phone_number') else None,
@@ -63,15 +68,16 @@ class CRUDUserAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[User, UserCreate, UserUpdate]):
         db_obj: User,
         obj_in: Union[UserUpdate, Dict[str, Any]]
     ) -> User:
-        """Update user with password hashing if password is updated."""
+        """Update user with async password hashing if password is updated."""
         if isinstance(obj_in, dict):
             update_data = obj_in
         else:
             update_data = obj_in.model_dump(exclude_unset=True)
 
         # Handle password separately if it exists in update data
+        # Hash password asynchronously to avoid blocking event loop
         if "password" in update_data:
-            update_data["password_hash"] = get_password_hash(update_data["password"])
+            update_data["password_hash"] = await get_password_hash_async(update_data["password"])
             del update_data["password"]
 
         return await super().update(db, db_obj=db_obj, obj_in=update_data)
@@ -157,6 +163,100 @@ class CRUDUserAsync(CRUDBaseAsync[User, UserCreate, UserUpdate]):
             logger.error(f"Error retrieving paginated users: {str(e)}")
             raise
 
+    async def bulk_update_status(
+        self,
+        db: AsyncSession,
+        *,
+        user_ids: List[UUID],
+        is_active: bool
+    ) -> int:
+        """
+        Bulk update is_active status for multiple users.
+
+        Args:
+            db: Database session
+            user_ids: List of user IDs to update
+            is_active: New active status
+
+        Returns:
+            Number of users updated
+        """
+        try:
+            if not user_ids:
+                return 0
+
+            # Use UPDATE with WHERE IN for efficiency
+            stmt = (
+                update(User)
+                .where(User.id.in_(user_ids))
+                .where(User.deleted_at.is_(None))  # Don't update deleted users
+                .values(is_active=is_active, updated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc))
+            )
+
+            result = await db.execute(stmt)
+            await db.commit()
+
+            updated_count = result.rowcount
+            logger.info(f"Bulk updated {updated_count} users to is_active={is_active}")
+            return updated_count
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            await db.rollback()
+            logger.error(f"Error bulk updating user status: {str(e)}", exc_info=True)
+            raise
+
+    async def bulk_soft_delete(
+        self,
+        db: AsyncSession,
+        *,
+        user_ids: List[UUID],
+        exclude_user_id: Optional[UUID] = None
+    ) -> int:
+        """
+        Bulk soft delete multiple users.
+
+        Args:
+            db: Database session
+            user_ids: List of user IDs to delete
+            exclude_user_id: Optional user ID to exclude (e.g., the admin performing the action)
+
+        Returns:
+            Number of users deleted
+        """
+        try:
+            if not user_ids:
+                return 0
+
+            # Remove excluded user from list
+            filtered_ids = [uid for uid in user_ids if uid != exclude_user_id]
+
+            if not filtered_ids:
+                return 0
+
+            # Use UPDATE with WHERE IN for efficiency
+            stmt = (
+                update(User)
+                .where(User.id.in_(filtered_ids))
+                .where(User.deleted_at.is_(None))  # Don't re-delete already deleted users
+                .values(
+                    deleted_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+                    is_active=False,
+                    updated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+                )
+            )
+
+            result = await db.execute(stmt)
+            await db.commit()
+
+            deleted_count = result.rowcount
+            logger.info(f"Bulk soft deleted {deleted_count} users")
+            return deleted_count
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            await db.rollback()
+            logger.error(f"Error bulk deleting users: {str(e)}", exc_info=True)
+            raise
+
     def is_active(self, user: User) -> bool:
         """Check if user is active."""
         return user.is_active
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas/common.py b/backend/app/schemas/common.py
index fa49199..4f77cf5 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas/common.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas/common.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Common schemas used across the API for pagination, responses, filtering, and sorting.
 """
 from typing import Generic, TypeVar, List, Optional
+from uuid import UUID
 from enum import Enum
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 from math import ceil
@@ -138,6 +139,46 @@ class MessageResponse(BaseModel):
     }
 
 
+class BulkActionRequest(BaseModel):
+    """Request schema for bulk operations on multiple items."""
+
+    ids: List[UUID] = Field(
+        ...,
+        min_length=1,
+        max_length=100,
+        description="List of item IDs to perform action on (max 100)"
+    )
+
+    model_config = {
+        "json_schema_extra": {
+            "example": {
+                "ids": [
+                    "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
+                    "6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+
+class BulkActionResponse(BaseModel):
+    """Response schema for bulk operations."""
+
+    success: bool = Field(default=True, description="Operation success status")
+    message: str = Field(..., description="Human-readable message")
+    affected_count: int = Field(..., description="Number of items affected by the operation")
+
+    model_config = {
+        "json_schema_extra": {
+            "example": {
+                "success": True,
+                "message": "Successfully deactivated 5 users",
+                "affected_count": 5
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+
 def create_pagination_meta(
     total: int,
     page: int,
diff --git a/backend/app/services/auth_service.py b/backend/app/services/auth_service.py
index fe21ae8..36a91a0 100755
--- a/backend/app/services/auth_service.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/auth_service.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from sqlalchemy import select
 
 from app.core.auth import (
-    verify_password,
-    get_password_hash,
+    verify_password_async,
+    get_password_hash_async,
     create_access_token,
     create_refresh_token,
     TokenExpiredError,
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class AuthService:
     @staticmethod
     async def authenticate_user(db: AsyncSession, email: str, password: str) -> Optional[User]:
         """
-        Authenticate a user with email and password.
+        Authenticate a user with email and password using async password verification.
 
         Args:
             db: Database session
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class AuthService:
         if not user:
             return None
 
-        if not verify_password(password, user.password_hash):
+        # Verify password asynchronously to avoid blocking event loop
+        if not await verify_password_async(password, user.password_hash):
             return None
 
         if not user.is_active:
@@ -77,8 +78,9 @@ class AuthService:
             if existing_user:
                 raise AuthenticationError("User with this email already exists")
 
-            # Create new user
-            hashed_password = get_password_hash(user_data.password)
+            # Create new user with async password hashing
+            # Hash password asynchronously to avoid blocking event loop
+            hashed_password = await get_password_hash_async(user_data.password)
 
             # Create user object from model
             user = User(
@@ -202,12 +204,12 @@ class AuthService:
             if not user:
                 raise AuthenticationError("User not found")
 
-            # Verify current password
-            if not verify_password(current_password, user.password_hash):
+            # Verify current password asynchronously
+            if not await verify_password_async(current_password, user.password_hash):
                 raise AuthenticationError("Current password is incorrect")
 
-            # Update password
-            user.password_hash = get_password_hash(new_password)
+            # Hash new password asynchronously to avoid blocking event loop
+            user.password_hash = await get_password_hash_async(new_password)
             await db.commit()
 
             logger.info(f"Password changed successfully for user {user_id}")
diff --git a/backend/tests/api/test_auth_endpoints.py b/backend/tests/api/test_auth_endpoints.py
index cb88379..f09e19d 100755
--- a/backend/tests/api/test_auth_endpoints.py
+++ b/backend/tests/api/test_auth_endpoints.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class TestRegisterEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/register",
             json={
                 "email": "newuser@example.com",
-                "password": "SecurePassword123",
+                "password": "SecurePassword123!",
                 "first_name": "New",
                 "last_name": "User"
             }
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class TestRegisterEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/register",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "SecurePassword123",
+                "password": "SecurePassword123!",
                 "first_name": "Duplicate",
                 "last_name": "User"
             }
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class TestLoginEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class TestLoginEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": "nonexistent@example.com",
-                "password": "Password123"
+                "password": "Password123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class TestLoginEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class TestLoginEndpoint:
                 "/api/v1/auth/login",
                 json={
                     "email": async_test_user.email,
-                    "password": "TestPassword123"
+                    "password": "TestPassword123!"
                 }
             )
 
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class TestOAuthLoginEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login/oauth",
             data={
                 "username": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class TestOAuthLoginEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login/oauth",
             data={
                 "username": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class TestOAuthLoginEndpoint:
                 "/api/v1/auth/login/oauth",
                 data={
                     "username": async_test_user.email,
-                    "password": "TestPassword123"
+                    "password": "TestPassword123!"
                 }
             )
 
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class TestRefreshTokenEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
         refresh_token = login_response.json()["refresh_token"]
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ class TestRefreshTokenEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
         refresh_token = login_response.json()["refresh_token"]
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ class TestGetCurrentUserEndpoint:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "TestPassword123"
+                "password": "TestPassword123!"
             }
         )
         access_token = login_response.json()["access_token"]
diff --git a/backend/tests/api/test_auth_password_reset.py b/backend/tests/api/test_auth_password_reset.py
index 81934dc..6463b24 100755
--- a/backend/tests/api/test_auth_password_reset.py
+++ b/backend/tests/api/test_auth_password_reset.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
         """Test password reset confirmation with valid token."""
         # Generate valid token
         token = create_password_reset_token(async_test_user.email)
-        new_password = "NewSecure123"
+        new_password = "NewSecure123!"
 
         response = await client.post(
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
             json={
                 "token": token,
-                "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
             json={
                 "token": "invalid_token_xyz",
-                "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
             json={
                 "token": tampered,
-                "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
             json={
                 "token": token,
-                "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
             json={
                 "token": token,
-                "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
         # Missing token
         response = await client.post(
             "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
-            json={"new_password": "NewSecure123"}
+            json={"new_password": "NewSecure123!"}
         )
         assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY
 
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
                 "/api/v1/auth/password-reset/confirm",
                 json={
                     "token": token,
-                    "new_password": "NewSecure123"
+                    "new_password": "NewSecure123!"
                 }
             )
 
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class TestPasswordResetConfirm:
     async def test_password_reset_full_flow(self, client, async_test_user, async_test_db):
         """Test complete password reset flow."""
         original_password = async_test_user.password_hash
-        new_password = "BrandNew123"
+        new_password = "BrandNew123!"
 
         # Step 1: Request password reset
         with patch('app.api.routes.auth.email_service.send_password_reset_email') as mock_send:
diff --git a/backend/tests/api/test_user_routes.py b/backend/tests/api/test_user_routes.py
index e7fb270..3597d97 100755
--- a/backend/tests/api/test_user_routes.py
+++ b/backend/tests/api/test_user_routes.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TestListUsers:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_list_users_as_superuser(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test listing users as superuser."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users", headers=headers)
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class TestListUsers:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_list_users_as_regular_user(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that regular users cannot list users."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users", headers=headers)
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class TestListUsers:
                 session.add(user)
             await session.commit()
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         # Get first page
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users?page=1&limit=5", headers=headers)
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class TestListUsers:
             session.add_all([active_user, inactive_user])
             await session.commit()
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         # Filter for active users
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users?is_active=true", headers=headers)
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class TestListUsers:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_list_users_sort_by_email(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test sorting users by email."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users?sort_by=email&sort_order=asc", headers=headers)
         assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_200_OK
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class TestGetCurrentUserProfile:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_get_own_profile(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test getting own profile."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users/me", headers=headers)
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class TestUpdateCurrentUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_own_profile(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test updating own profile."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me",
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class TestUpdateCurrentUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_profile_phone_number(self, client, async_test_user, test_db):
         """Test updating phone number with validation."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me",
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class TestUpdateCurrentUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_profile_invalid_phone(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that invalid phone numbers are rejected."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me",
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class TestUpdateCurrentUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_cannot_elevate_to_superuser(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that users cannot make themselves superuser."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         # Note: is_superuser is not in UserUpdate schema, but the endpoint checks for it
         # This tests that even if someone tries to send it, it's rejected
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class TestGetUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_get_own_profile_by_id(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test getting own profile by ID."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get(f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_user.id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class TestGetUserById:
         test_db.commit()
         test_db.refresh(other_user)
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get(f"/api/v1/users/{other_user.id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class TestGetUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_get_other_user_as_superuser(self, client, async_test_superuser, async_test_user):
         """Test that superusers can view other profiles."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get(f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_user.id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ class TestGetUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_get_nonexistent_user(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test getting non-existent user."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
         fake_id = uuid.uuid4()
 
         response = await client.get(f"/api/v1/users/{fake_id}", headers=headers)
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ class TestGetUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_get_user_invalid_uuid(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test getting user with invalid UUID format."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.get("/api/v1/users/not-a-uuid", headers=headers)
 
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_own_profile_by_id(self, client, async_test_user, test_db):
         """Test updating own profile by ID."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_user.id}",
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
         test_db.commit()
         test_db.refresh(other_user)
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             f"/api/v1/users/{other_user.id}",
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_other_user_as_superuser(self, client, async_test_superuser, async_test_user, test_db):
         """Test that superusers can update other profiles."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_user.id}",
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_regular_user_cannot_modify_superuser_status(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that regular users cannot change superuser status even if they try."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         # is_superuser not in UserUpdate schema, so it gets ignored by Pydantic
         # Just verify the user stays the same
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_superuser_can_update_users(self, client, async_test_superuser, async_test_user, test_db):
         """Test that superusers can update other users."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_user.id}",
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ class TestUpdateUserById:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_update_nonexistent_user(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test updating non-existent user."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
         fake_id = uuid.uuid4()
 
         response = await client.patch(
@@ -433,14 +433,14 @@ class TestChangePassword:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_change_password_success(self, client, async_test_user, test_db):
         """Test successful password change."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me/password",
             headers=headers,
             json={
-                "current_password": "TestPassword123",
-                "new_password": "NewPassword123"
+                "current_password": "TestPassword123!",
+                "new_password": "NewPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ class TestChangePassword:
             "/api/v1/auth/login",
             json={
                 "email": async_test_user.email,
-                "password": "NewPassword123"
+                "password": "NewPassword123!"
             }
         )
         assert login_response.status_code == status.HTTP_200_OK
@@ -461,14 +461,14 @@ class TestChangePassword:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_change_password_wrong_current(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that wrong current password is rejected."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me/password",
             headers=headers,
             json={
                 "current_password": "WrongPassword123",
-                "new_password": "NewPassword123"
+                "new_password": "NewPassword123!"
             }
         )
 
@@ -477,13 +477,13 @@ class TestChangePassword:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_change_password_weak_new_password(self, client, async_test_user):
         """Test that weak new passwords are rejected."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me/password",
             headers=headers,
             json={
-                "current_password": "TestPassword123",
+                "current_password": "TestPassword123!",
                 "new_password": "weak"
             }
         )
@@ -496,8 +496,8 @@ class TestChangePassword:
         response = await client.patch(
             "/api/v1/users/me/password",
             json={
-                "current_password": "TestPassword123",
-                "new_password": "NewPassword123"
+                "current_password": "TestPassword123!",
+                "new_password": "NewPassword123!"
             }
         )
         assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ class TestDeleteUser:
             await session.refresh(user_to_delete)
             user_id = user_to_delete.id
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.delete(f"/api/v1/users/{user_id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ class TestDeleteUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_cannot_delete_self(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test that users cannot delete their own account."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.delete(f"/api/v1/users/{async_test_superuser.id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ class TestDeleteUser:
         test_db.commit()
         test_db.refresh(other_user)
 
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_user.email, "TestPassword123!")
 
         response = await client.delete(f"/api/v1/users/{other_user.id}", headers=headers)
 
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ class TestDeleteUser:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_delete_nonexistent_user(self, client, async_test_superuser):
         """Test deleting non-existent user."""
-        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123")
+        headers = await get_auth_headers(client, async_test_superuser.email, "SuperPassword123!")
         fake_id = uuid.uuid4()
 
         response = await client.delete(f"/api/v1/users/{fake_id}", headers=headers)
diff --git a/backend/tests/conftest.py b/backend/tests/conftest.py
index 7f4b035..23d5f27 100755
--- a/backend/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/backend/tests/conftest.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def test_user(test_db):
     user = User(
         id=uuid.uuid4(),
         email="testuser@example.com",
-        password_hash=get_password_hash("TestPassword123"),
+        password_hash=get_password_hash("TestPassword123!"),
         first_name="Test",
         last_name="User",
         phone_number="+1234567890",
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ def test_superuser(test_db):
     user = User(
         id=uuid.uuid4(),
         email="superuser@example.com",
-        password_hash=get_password_hash("SuperPassword123"),
+        password_hash=get_password_hash("SuperPassword123!"),
         first_name="Super",
         last_name="User",
         phone_number="+9876543210",
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ async def async_test_user(async_test_db):
         user = User(
             id=uuid.uuid4(),
             email="testuser@example.com",
-            password_hash=get_password_hash("TestPassword123"),
+            password_hash=get_password_hash("TestPassword123!"),
             first_name="Test",
             last_name="User",
             phone_number="+1234567890",
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ async def async_test_superuser(async_test_db):
         user = User(
             id=uuid.uuid4(),
             email="superuser@example.com",
-            password_hash=get_password_hash("SuperPassword123"),
+            password_hash=get_password_hash("SuperPassword123!"),
             first_name="Super",
             last_name="User",
             phone_number="+9876543210",
diff --git a/backend/tests/core/test_auth.py b/backend/tests/core/test_auth.py
index 7929e11..500f1e3 100755
--- a/backend/tests/core/test_auth.py
+++ b/backend/tests/core/test_auth.py
@@ -24,26 +24,26 @@ class TestPasswordHandling:
 
     def test_password_hash_different_from_password(self):
         """Test that a password hash is different from the original password"""
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         hashed = get_password_hash(password)
         assert hashed != password
 
     def test_verify_correct_password(self):
         """Test that verify_password returns True for the correct password"""
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         hashed = get_password_hash(password)
         assert verify_password(password, hashed) is True
 
     def test_verify_incorrect_password(self):
         """Test that verify_password returns False for an incorrect password"""
-        password = "TestPassword123"
-        wrong_password = "WrongPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
+        wrong_password = "WrongPassword123!"
         hashed = get_password_hash(password)
         assert verify_password(wrong_password, hashed) is False
 
     def test_same_password_different_hash(self):
         """Test that the same password gets a different hash each time"""
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         hash1 = get_password_hash(password)
         hash2 = get_password_hash(password)
         assert hash1 != hash2
diff --git a/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_base.py b/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_base.py
index cd3d17f..2818fe2 100755
--- a/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_base.py
+++ b/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_base.py
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ class TestCRUDCreate:
         """Test basic record creation."""
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="create@example.com",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             first_name="Create",
             last_name="Test"
         )
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ class TestCRUDCreate:
         """Test that creating duplicate email raises error."""
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="duplicate@example.com",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             first_name="First"
         )
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_error_paths.py b/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_error_paths.py
index 238649a..ebe3f67 100755
--- a/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_error_paths.py
+++ b/backend/tests/crud/test_crud_error_paths.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class TestCRUDErrorPaths:
         # Create first user
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="unique@example.com",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             first_name="First"
         )
         user_crud.create(db_session, obj_in=user_data)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class TestCRUDErrorPaths:
         """Test create handles other integrity errors."""
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="integrityerror@example.com",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             first_name="Integrity"
         )
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class TestCRUDErrorPaths:
         """Test create handles unexpected errors."""
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="unexpectederror@example.com",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             first_name="Unexpected"
         )
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/schemas/test_user_schemas.py b/backend/tests/schemas/test_user_schemas.py
index 67bf7b5..4635efb 100755
--- a/backend/tests/schemas/test_user_schemas.py
+++ b/backend/tests/schemas/test_user_schemas.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class TestPhoneNumberValidation:
             email="test@example.com",
             first_name="Test",
             last_name="User",
-            password="Password123",
+            password="Password123!",
             phone_number="+41791234567"
         )
         assert user.phone_number == "+41791234567"
@@ -122,6 +122,6 @@ class TestPhoneNumberValidation:
                 email="test@example.com",
                 first_name="Test",
                 last_name="User",
-                password="Password123",
+                password="Password123!",
                 phone_number="invalid-number"
             )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/tests/services/test_auth_service.py b/backend/tests/services/test_auth_service.py
index 449e1ce..78e9347 100755
--- a/backend/tests/services/test_auth_service.py
+++ b/backend/tests/services/test_auth_service.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class TestAuthServiceAuthentication:
         test_engine, AsyncTestingSessionLocal = async_test_db
 
         # Set a known password for the mock user
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         async with AsyncTestingSessionLocal() as session:
             result = await session.execute(select(User).where(User.id == async_test_user.id))
             user = result.scalar_one_or_none()
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TestAuthServiceAuthentication:
         test_engine, AsyncTestingSessionLocal = async_test_db
 
         # Set a known password for the mock user
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         async with AsyncTestingSessionLocal() as session:
             result = await session.execute(select(User).where(User.id == async_test_user.id))
             user = result.scalar_one_or_none()
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class TestAuthServiceAuthentication:
         test_engine, AsyncTestingSessionLocal = async_test_db
 
         # Set a known password and make user inactive
-        password = "TestPassword123"
+        password = "TestPassword123!"
         async with AsyncTestingSessionLocal() as session:
             result = await session.execute(select(User).where(User.id == async_test_user.id))
             user = result.scalar_one_or_none()
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ class TestAuthServiceUserCreation:
 
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email="newuser@example.com",
-            password="TestPassword123",
+            password="TestPassword123!",
             first_name="New",
             last_name="User",
-            phone_number="1234567890"
+            phone_number="+1234567890"
         )
 
         async with AsyncTestingSessionLocal() as session:
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class TestAuthServiceUserCreation:
 
         user_data = UserCreate(
             email=async_test_user.email,  # Use existing email
-            password="TestPassword123",
+            password="TestPassword123!",
             first_name="Duplicate",
             last_name="User"
         )