diff --git a/backend/.env.example b/backend/.env.example
index bbd8c84..11b8667 100644
--- a/backend/.env.example
+++ b/backend/.env.example
@@ -9,4 +9,10 @@ REFRESH_TOKEN_SECRET = TODO
 PASSWORD_SECRET = TODO
 
 # MongoDB URI (Developer User, Fitnesse Database only)
-MONGO_CONNECTION_URL = TODO
\ No newline at end of file
+MONGO_CONNECTION_URL = TODO
+
+# environment
+NODE_ENV = TODO
+
+# IPs for trust proxy
+TRUSTED_IPS = TODO
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/.env.testing b/backend/.env.testing
index 115a4f3..e69f83f 100644
--- a/backend/.env.testing
+++ b/backend/.env.testing
@@ -14,3 +14,11 @@ PASSWORD_SECRET = password_secret
 
 # MongoDB URI (Developer User, Fitnesse Database only)
 MONGO_CONNECTION_URL = test_url
+
+# environment
+NODE_ENV = testing
+
+# IPs for trust proxy
+TRUSTED_IPS = ["0.0.0.0"]
+
+
diff --git a/backend/config/development.json b/backend/config/development.json
index 3e1d125..02e0d49 100644
--- a/backend/config/development.json
+++ b/backend/config/development.json
@@ -30,5 +30,6 @@
     "FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS_WINDOW": 900,
     "ACCESS_TOKEN_LIFETIME": "15m",
     "IDLE_TIMEOUT": 604800
-  }
+  },
+  "TRUSTED_IPS": "$TRUSTED_IPS::set:string"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/config/testing.json b/backend/config/testing.json
index daa0efd..d1e2b9b 100644
--- a/backend/config/testing.json
+++ b/backend/config/testing.json
@@ -30,5 +30,6 @@
     "FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS_WINDOW": 5,
     "ACCESS_TOKEN_LIFETIME": "1d",
     "IDLE_TIMEOUT": 5000
-  }
+  },
+  "TRUSTED_IPS": "$TRUSTED_IPS::set:string"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 2e9f825..e05a2b1 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "build": "pnpm install && tsc",
     "start": "node dist/index.js",
-    "dev": "nodemon src/index.ts --env=development",
+    "dev": "nodemon src/index.ts",
     "lint": "eslint .",
     "test": "jest --verbose",
     "prettier": "prettier --config .prettierrc 'src/**/*.ts' 'tests/**/*.ts' --write"
diff --git a/backend/src/app.ts b/backend/src/app.ts
index db5e8ae..16f14d6 100644
--- a/backend/src/app.ts
+++ b/backend/src/app.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class App {
     this.expressApp = express();
     this.initializeMiddleWares();
     this.mountRoutes();
+    this.setNetworkConfigs();
     this.serverPool = new Map<number, http.Server>();
   }
 
@@ -39,6 +40,16 @@ class App {
     this.expressApp.use(helmet());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Set network communication configurations.
+   */
+  private setNetworkConfigs() {
+    /* Set trust proxy IPs */
+    const trustedIps: Set<string> = Config.get('TRUSTED_IPS');
+    const trustedIpList = Array.from(trustedIps);
+    this.expressApp.set('trust proxy', trustedIpList);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Mounts the routes for the backend API endpoints.
    */
diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index e65efa8..a988e74 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 import App from './app';
 import logger from './logging/logger';
 import Config from 'simple-app-config';
-logger.info('starting the app');
-logger.debug('debug');
 
 /* Get the server port from configuration object */
 const PORT: number = Config.get('PORT');
diff --git a/backend/tests/app.test.ts b/backend/tests/app.test.ts
index 7ecd17e..ca7f776 100644
--- a/backend/tests/app.test.ts
+++ b/backend/tests/app.test.ts
@@ -31,12 +31,15 @@ describe('App Tests', () => {
       jest.spyOn(mongoose, 'connect').mockImplementation(() => {
         return { close: jest.fn() } as unknown as Promise<typeof import('mongoose')>;
       });
-      jest.spyOn(Config, 'get').mockImplementation(() => {
-        return 'dummy connection string';
-      });
-      jest.spyOn(Config, 'get').mockImplementation(() => {
-        return 2;
-      });
+
+      jest
+        .spyOn(Config, 'get')
+        .mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+          return 'dummy connection string';
+        })
+        .mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+          return 2;
+        });
 
       /* Connect to DB */
       await appInstance.connectToDatabase();