diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fdedcbac..64027e65 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,18 +12,50 @@ registration, account recovery, ... screens, please check out the
 
 ## Configuration
 
-This application can be configured using two environment variables:
+Below is a list of environment variables required by the Express.js service to
+function properly.
 
-- `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL` (required): The URL where ORY Kratos's Public API is
-  located at. If this app and ORY Kratos are running in the same private
-  network, this should be the private network address (e.g.
+In a local development run of the service using `npm run start`, some of these
+values will be set by nodemon and is configured by the `nodemon.json` file.
+
+When using this UI with an Ory Network project, you can use `ORY_SDK_URL`
+instead of `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL` and `HYDRA_ADMIN_URL`.
+
+Ory Identities requires the following variables to be set:
+
+- `ORY_SDK_URL` or `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL` (required): The URL where ORY Kratos's
+  Public API is located at. If this app and ORY Kratos are running in the same
+  private network, this should be the private network address (e.g.
   `kratos-public.svc.cluster.local`).
+- `KRATOS_BROWSER_URL` (optional) The browser accessible URL where ORY Kratos's
+  public API is located, only needed if it differs from `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL`
+
+Ory OAuth2 requires more setup to get CSRF cookies on the `/consent` endpoint.
+
+- `ORY_SDK_URL` or `HYDRA_ADMIN_URL` (optional): The URL where Ory Hydra's
+  Public API is located at. If this app and Ory Hydra are running in the same
+  private network, this should be the private network address (e.g.
+  `hydra-admin.svc.cluster.local`)
+- `COOKIE_SECRET` (required): Required for signing cookies. Must be a string
+  with at least 8 alphanumerical characters.
+- `CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET` (optional): Required for the Consent route to set a CSRF
+  cookie with a hashed value. The value must be a string with at least 8
+  alphanumerical characters.
+- `ORY_ADMIN_API_TOKEN` (optional): When using with an Ory Network project, you
+  should add the `ORY_ADMIN_API_TOKEN` for OAuth2 Consent flows.
+- `CSRF_COOKIE_NAME` (optional): By default the CSRF cookie will be set to
+  `ax-x-csrf-token`.
+- `DANGEROUSLY_DISABLE_SECURE_CSRF_COOKIES` (optional) This environment
+  variables should only be used in local development when you do not have HTTPS
+  setup. This sets the CSRF cookies to `secure: false`, required for running
+  locally.
+
+Getting TLS working:
+
 - `TLS_CERT_PATH` (optional): Path to certificate file. Should be set up
   together with `TLS_KEY_PATH` to enable HTTPS.
 - `TLS_KEY_PATH` (optional): Path to key file Should be set up together with
   `TLS_CERT_PATH` to enable HTTPS.
-- `KRATOS_BROWSER_URL` (optional) The browser accessible URL where ORY Kratos's
-  public API is located, only needed if it differs from `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL`
 
 This is the easiest mode as it requires no additional set up. This app runs on
 port `:4455` and ORY Kratos `KRATOS_PUBLIC_URL` URL.
@@ -54,7 +86,7 @@ recommended.
 To run this app with dummy data and no real connection to ORY Kratos, use:
 
 ```shell script
-$ NODE_ENV=stub npm start
+NODE_ENV=stub npm start
 ```
 
 ### Test with ORY Kratos
diff --git a/nodemon.json b/nodemon.json
index 7432e790..98a40b93 100644
--- a/nodemon.json
+++ b/nodemon.json
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 {
   "watch": ["src"],
   "ext": "ts",
-  "exec": "ts-node ./src/index.ts"
+  "exec": "ts-node ./src/index.ts",
+  "env": {
+    "COOKIE_SECRET": "I_AM_VERY_SECRET",
+    "CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET": "I_AM_VERY_SECRET_TOO",
+    "DANGEROUSLY_DISABLE_SECURE_CSRF_COOKIES": "true",
+    "ORY_SDK_URL": "http://localhost:4000"
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 18a5c366..a0bc4b2f 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const app = express()
 const router = express.Router()
 
 app.use(middlewareLogger)
-app.use(cookieParser())
+app.use(cookieParser(process.env.COOKIE_SECRET))
 app.use(addFavicon(defaultConfig))
 app.use(detectLanguage)
 app.set("view engine", "hbs")
@@ -79,13 +79,32 @@ let listener = (proto: "http" | "https") => () => {
   console.log(`Listening on ${proto}://0.0.0.0:${port}`)
 }
 
-if (process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH?.length && process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH?.length) {
-  const options = {
-    cert: fs.readFileSync(process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH),
-    key: fs.readFileSync(process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH),
-  }
-
-  https.createServer(options, app).listen(port, listener("https"))
+// When using the Ory Admin API Token, we assume that this application is also
+// handling OAuth2 Consent requests. In that case we need to ensure that the
+// COOKIE_SECRET and CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET environment variables are set.
+if (
+  (process.env.ORY_ADMIN_API_TOKEN &&
+    String(process.env.COOKIE_SECRET || "").length < 8) ||
+  String(process.env.CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET || "").length < 8
+) {
+  console.error(
+    "Cannot start the server without the required environment variables!",
+  )
+  console.error(
+    "COOKIE_SECRET must be set and be at least 8 alphanumerical character `export COOKIE_SECRET=...`",
+  )
+  console.error(
+    "CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET must be set and be at least 8 alphanumerical character `export CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET=...`",
+  )
 } else {
-  app.listen(port, listener("http"))
+  if (process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH?.length && process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH?.length) {
+    const options = {
+      cert: fs.readFileSync(process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH),
+      key: fs.readFileSync(process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH),
+    }
+
+    https.createServer(options, app).listen(port, listener("https"))
+  } else {
+    app.listen(port, listener("http"))
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/sdk/index.ts b/src/pkg/sdk/index.ts
index cc488fe2..4940748c 100644
--- a/src/pkg/sdk/index.ts
+++ b/src/pkg/sdk/index.ts
@@ -15,12 +15,6 @@ const apiBaseIdentityUrl = process.env.KRATOS_ADMIN_URL || baseUrlInternal
 export const apiBaseUrl =
   process.env.KRATOS_BROWSER_URL || apiBaseFrontendUrlInternal
 
-const hydraBaseOptions: any = {}
-
-if (process.env.MOCK_TLS_TERMINATION) {
-  hydraBaseOptions.headers = { "X-Forwarded-Proto": "https" }
-}
-
 // Sets up the SDK
 const sdk = {
   basePath: apiBaseFrontendUrlInternal,
@@ -32,7 +26,14 @@ const sdk = {
   oauth2: new OAuth2Api(
     new Configuration({
       basePath: apiBaseOauth2UrlInternal,
-      baseOptions: hydraBaseOptions,
+      ...(process.env.ORY_ADMIN_API_TOKEN && {
+        accessToken: process.env.ORY_ADMIN_API_TOKEN,
+      }),
+      ...(process.env.MOCK_TLS_TERMINATION && {
+        baseOptions: {
+          "X-Forwarded-Proto": "https",
+        },
+      }),
     }),
   ),
   identity: new IdentityApi(
diff --git a/src/routes/consent.ts b/src/routes/consent.ts
index b7768100..47ce9ab2 100644
--- a/src/routes/consent.ts
+++ b/src/routes/consent.ts
@@ -10,25 +10,43 @@ import {
 } from "@ory/client"
 import { UserConsentCard } from "@ory/elements-markup"
 import bodyParser from "body-parser"
-import { doubleCsrf } from "csrf-csrf"
+import { doubleCsrf, DoubleCsrfCookieOptions } from "csrf-csrf"
 import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from "express"
 
+const cookieOptions: DoubleCsrfCookieOptions = {
+  sameSite: "lax",
+  signed: true,
+  // set secure cookies by default (recommended in production)
+  // can be disabled through DANGEROUSLY_DISABLE_SECURE_COOKIES=true env var
+  secure: true,
+  ...(process.env.DANGEROUSLY_DISABLE_SECURE_CSRF_COOKIES && {
+    secure: false,
+  }),
+}
+
+const cookieName = process.env.CSRF_COOKIE_NAME || "ax-x-csrf-token"
+const cookieSecret = process.env.CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET
+
 // Sets up csrf protection
 const {
   generateToken, // Use this in your routes to provide a CSRF hash + token cookie and token.
   invalidCsrfTokenError,
   doubleCsrfProtection, // This is the default CSRF protection middleware.
 } = doubleCsrf({
-  getSecret: () => "VERY_SECRET_VALUE", // A function that optionally takes the request and returns a secret
-  cookieName: "ax-x-csrf-token", // The name of the cookie to be used, recommend using Host prefix.
-  cookieOptions: {
-    sameSite: "lax", // Recommend you make this strict if posible
-    secure: true,
-  },
+  getSecret: () => cookieSecret || "", // A function that optionally takes the request and returns a secret
+  cookieName: cookieName, // The name of the cookie to be used, recommend using Host prefix.
+  cookieOptions,
   ignoredMethods: ["GET", "HEAD", "OPTIONS"], // A list of request methods that will not be protected.
   getTokenFromRequest: (req) => req.headers["x-csrf-token"], // A function that returns the token from the request
 })
 
+// Checks if OAuth2 consent is enabled
+// This is used to determine if the consent route should be registered
+// We need to check if the environment variables are set
+const isOAuthCosentEnabled = () =>
+  (process.env.HYDRA_ADMIN_URL || process.env.ORY_SDK_URL) &&
+  process.env.CSRF_COOKIE_SECRET
+
 // Error handling, validation error interception
 const csrfErrorHandler = (
   error: unknown,
@@ -37,7 +55,11 @@ const csrfErrorHandler = (
   next: NextFunction,
 ) => {
   if (error == invalidCsrfTokenError) {
-    next(new Error("csrf validation error"))
+    next(
+      new Error(
+        "A security violation was detected, please fill out the form again.",
+      ),
+    )
   } else {
     next()
   }
@@ -82,7 +104,6 @@ async function createOAuth2ConsentRequestSession(
 // A simple express handler that shows the Hydra consent screen.
 export const createConsentRoute: RouteCreator =
   (createHelpers) => (req, res, next) => {
-    console.log("createConsentRoute")
     res.locals.projectName = "An application requests access to your data!"
 
     const { oauth2, identity } = createHelpers(req, res)
@@ -102,7 +123,6 @@ export const createConsentRoute: RouteCreator =
       trustedClients = String(process.env.TRUSTED_CLIENT_IDS).split(",")
     }
 
-    console.log("getOAuth2ConsentRequest", challenge)
     // This section processes consent requests and either shows the consent UI or
     // accepts the consent request right away if the user has given consent to this
     // app before
@@ -267,8 +287,7 @@ export const registerConsentRoute: RouteRegistrator = function (
   app,
   createHelpers = defaultConfig,
 ) {
-  if (process.env.HYDRA_ADMIN_URL) {
-    console.log("found HYDRA_ADMIN_URL")
+  if (isOAuthCosentEnabled()) {
     return app.get("/consent", createConsentRoute(createHelpers))
   } else {
     return register404Route
@@ -279,7 +298,7 @@ export const registerConsentPostRoute: RouteRegistrator = function (
   app,
   createHelpers = defaultConfig,
 ) {
-  if (process.env.HYDRA_ADMIN_URL) {
+  if (isOAuthCosentEnabled()) {
     return app.post(
       "/consent",
       parseForm,