diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/federationAuth.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/federationAuth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..71cd3fe5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/federationAuth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+import { createHmac, randomBytes, timingSafeEqual } from 'node:crypto';
+
+const DEFAULT_MAX_AGE_MS = 15 * 60 * 1000; // 15 minutes
+
+/**
+ * Generate a 256-bit random hex secret for HMAC signing.
+ */
+export function generateHmacSecret(): string {
+  return randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Compute HMAC-SHA256 of `${timestamp}.${body}` using the given secret.
+ * Returns a hex-encoded signature string.
+ */
+export function signRequest(body: string, secret: string, timestamp: number): string {
+  return createHmac('sha256', secret)
+    .update(`${timestamp}.${body}`)
+    .digest('hex');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Verify a federation request signature.
+ *
+ * Returns true only if:
+ *   - The timestamp is within maxAgeMs of Date.now()
+ *   - The HMAC-SHA256 of `${timestamp}.${body}` matches the provided signature
+ *
+ * Uses constant-time comparison to prevent timing attacks.
+ */
+export function verifySignature(
+  body: string,
+  signature: string,
+  secret: string,
+  timestamp: number,
+  maxAgeMs: number = DEFAULT_MAX_AGE_MS,
+): boolean {
+  // Guard against empty or obviously invalid inputs
+  if (!body && body !== '') return false;
+  if (!signature || !secret) return false;
+
+  // Validate timestamp is within the acceptable window
+  const age = Math.abs(Date.now() - timestamp);
+  if (age > maxAgeMs) return false;
+
+  const expected = signRequest(body, secret, timestamp);
+
+  // Convert both to Buffers for constant-time comparison
+  const expectedBuf = Buffer.from(expected, 'hex');
+  const actualBuf = Buffer.from(signature, 'hex');
+
+  // timingSafeEqual requires identical lengths; mismatched lengths mean invalid
+  if (expectedBuf.length !== actualBuf.length) return false;
+
+  return timingSafeEqual(expectedBuf, actualBuf);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build the HTTP headers required for an outbound federation request.
+ *
+ * Returned headers:
+ *   X-Federation-Signature: sha256=<hmac-hex>
+ *   X-Federation-Origin:    <origin>
+ *   X-Federation-Timestamp: <unix-ms>
+ *   Content-Type:           application/json
+ */
+export function buildFederationHeaders(
+  body: string,
+  secret: string,
+  origin: string,
+): Record<string, string> {
+  const timestamp = Date.now();
+  const sig = signRequest(body, secret, timestamp);
+
+  return {
+    'X-Federation-Signature': `sha256=${sig}`,
+    'X-Federation-Origin': origin,
+    'X-Federation-Timestamp': String(timestamp),
+    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Parse and validate the federation headers from an inbound request.
+ *
+ * Returns the extracted { origin, timestamp, signature } on success,
+ * or null if any required header is missing or malformed.
+ *
+ * Signature header format: `sha256=<hex>`
+ */
+export function parseFederationHeaders(
+  headers: Record<string, string | string[] | undefined>,
+): { origin: string; timestamp: number; signature: string } | null {
+  // Helper to extract a single string value from a potentially multi-value header
+  const getHeader = (name: string): string | null => {
+    const value = headers[name];
+    if (value === undefined || value === null) return null;
+    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+      return value.length > 0 ? value[0] : null;
+    }
+    return value;
+  };
+
+  const rawSignature = getHeader('x-federation-signature') ?? getHeader('X-Federation-Signature');
+  const rawOrigin = getHeader('x-federation-origin') ?? getHeader('X-Federation-Origin');
+  const rawTimestamp = getHeader('x-federation-timestamp') ?? getHeader('X-Federation-Timestamp');
+
+  if (!rawSignature || !rawOrigin || !rawTimestamp) return null;
+
+  // Signature must be in the format "sha256=<hex>"
+  const sigPrefix = 'sha256=';
+  if (!rawSignature.startsWith(sigPrefix)) return null;
+
+  const signature = rawSignature.slice(sigPrefix.length);
+  if (!signature || !/^[0-9a-f]+$/i.test(signature)) return null;
+
+  const timestampMs = Number(rawTimestamp);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(timestampMs) || timestampMs <= 0) return null;
+
+  const origin = rawOrigin.trim();
+  if (!origin) return null;
+
+  return { origin, timestamp: timestampMs, signature };
+}