diff --git a/server/src/service/business/userService.js b/server/src/service/business/userService.js
index e69796ec4..612f97a5a 100644
--- a/server/src/service/business/userService.js
+++ b/server/src/service/business/userService.js
@@ -85,12 +85,18 @@ class UserService {
 		// Check if user exists
 		try {
 			const user = await this.db.userModule.getUserByEmail(email);
+			
+			// Add null check before password comparison
+			if (!user || !user.comparePassword) {
+				throw this.errorService.createAuthenticationError(this.stringService.authIncorrectPassword);
+			}
+			
 			// Compare password
 			const match = await user.comparePassword(password);
 			if (match !== true) {
 				throw this.errorService.createAuthenticationError(this.stringService.authIncorrectPassword);
 			}
-			
+
 			// Remove password from user object.  Should this be abstracted to DB layer?
 			const userWithoutPassword = { ...user._doc };
 			delete userWithoutPassword.password;
@@ -103,6 +109,15 @@ class UserService {
 			userWithoutPassword.avatarImage = user.avatarImage;
 			return { user: userWithoutPassword, token };
 		} catch (error) {
+			// Log specific errors while returning generic message for security
+			this.logger.error({
+				message: "Login attempt failed",
+				service: SERVICE_NAME,
+				method: "loginUser",
+				error: error.message,
+				stack: error.stack,
+			});
+			
 			// If user is not found, throw a generic authentication error for security
 			// Don't reveal whether user exists or password is wrong
 			throw this.errorService.createAuthenticationError(this.stringService.authIncorrectPassword);
@@ -117,6 +132,12 @@ class UserService {
 			updates.email = currentUser.email;
 			// Get user
 			const user = await this.db.userModule.getUserByEmail(currentUser.email);
+			
+			// Add null check before password comparison
+			if (!user || !user.comparePassword) {
+				throw this.errorService.createAuthorizationError(this.stringService.authIncorrectPassword);
+			}
+			
 			// Compare passwords
 			const match = await user.comparePassword(updates?.password);
 			// If not a match, throw a 403
diff --git a/server/src/utils/imageProcessing.js b/server/src/utils/imageProcessing.js
index 470a5c27e..2e1895923 100755
--- a/server/src/utils/imageProcessing.js
+++ b/server/src/utils/imageProcessing.js
@@ -1,21 +1,12 @@
-import sharp from "sharp";
 /**
- * Generates a 64 * 64 pixel image from a given image
+ * Converts image to base64 string without resizing
+ * CSS handles the 64x64 display sizing client-side
  * @param {} file
  */
 const GenerateAvatarImage = async (file) => {
 	try {
-		// Resize to target 64 * 64
-		let resizedImageBuffer = await sharp(file.buffer)
-			.resize({
-				width: 64,
-				height: 64,
-				fit: "cover",
-			})
-			.toBuffer();
-
-		//Get b64 string
-		const base64Image = resizedImageBuffer.toString("base64");
+		// Simply convert to base64 - let CSS handle the 64x64 display
+		const base64Image = file.buffer.toString("base64");
 		return base64Image;
 	} catch (error) {
 		throw error;