diff --git a/net/socks5/socks5.go b/net/socks5/socks5.go
index 7e8749456..b774ebe24 100644
--- a/net/socks5/socks5.go
+++ b/net/socks5/socks5.go
@@ -25,15 +25,20 @@ import (
 	"tailscale.com/types/logger"
 )
 
+// Authentication METHODs described in RFC 1928, section 3.
 const (
 	noAuthRequired   byte = 0
+	passwordAuth     byte = 2
 	noAcceptableAuth byte = 255
-
-	// socks5Version is the byte that represents the SOCKS version
-	// in requests.
-	socks5Version byte = 5
 )
 
+// passwordAuthVersion is the auth version byte described in RFC 1929.
+const passwordAuthVersion = 1
+
+// socks5Version is the byte that represents the SOCKS version
+// in requests.
+const socks5Version byte = 5
+
 // commandType are the bytes sent in SOCKS5 packets
 // that represent the kind of connection the client needs.
 type commandType byte
@@ -83,6 +88,10 @@ type Server struct {
 	// Dialer optionally specifies the dialer to use for outgoing connections.
 	// If nil, the net package's standard dialer is used.
 	Dialer func(ctx context.Context, network, addr string) (net.Conn, error)
+
+	// Username and Password, if set, are the credential clients must provide.
+	Username string
+	Password string
 }
 
 func (s *Server) dial(ctx context.Context, network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {
@@ -134,12 +143,29 @@ type Conn struct {
 
 // Run starts the new connection.
 func (c *Conn) Run() error {
-	err := parseClientGreeting(c.clientConn)
+	needAuth := c.srv.Username != "" || c.srv.Password != ""
+	authMethod := noAuthRequired
+	if needAuth {
+		authMethod = passwordAuth
+	}
+
+	err := parseClientGreeting(c.clientConn, authMethod)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.clientConn.Write([]byte{socks5Version, noAcceptableAuth})
 		return err
 	}
-	c.clientConn.Write([]byte{socks5Version, noAuthRequired})
+	c.clientConn.Write([]byte{socks5Version, authMethod})
+	if !needAuth {
+		return c.handleRequest()
+	}
+
+	user, pwd, err := parseClientAuth(c.clientConn)
+	if err != nil || user != c.srv.Username || pwd != c.srv.Password {
+		c.clientConn.Write([]byte{1, 1}) // auth error
+		return err
+	}
+	c.clientConn.Write([]byte{1, 0}) // auth success
+
 	return c.handleRequest()
 }
 
@@ -220,10 +246,8 @@ func (c *Conn) handleRequest() error {
 	return <-errc
 }
 
-// parseClientGreeting parses a request initiation packet
-// and returns a slice that contains the acceptable auth methods
-// for the client.
-func parseClientGreeting(r io.Reader) error {
+// parseClientGreeting parses a request initiation packet.
+func parseClientGreeting(r io.Reader, authMethod byte) error {
 	var hdr [2]byte
 	_, err := io.ReadFull(r, hdr[:])
 	if err != nil {
@@ -239,13 +263,38 @@ func parseClientGreeting(r io.Reader) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not read methods")
 	}
 	for _, m := range methods {
-		if m == noAuthRequired {
+		if m == authMethod {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
 	return fmt.Errorf("no acceptable auth methods")
 }
 
+func parseClientAuth(r io.Reader) (usr, pwd string, err error) {
+	var hdr [2]byte
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r, hdr[:]); err != nil {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("could not read auth packet header")
+	}
+	if hdr[0] != passwordAuthVersion {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("bad SOCKS auth version")
+	}
+	usrLen := int(hdr[1])
+	usrBytes := make([]byte, usrLen)
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r, usrBytes); err != nil {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("could not read auth packet username")
+	}
+	var hdrPwd [1]byte
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r, hdrPwd[:]); err != nil {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("could not read auth packet password length")
+	}
+	pwdLen := int(hdrPwd[0])
+	pwdBytes := make([]byte, pwdLen)
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r, pwdBytes); err != nil {
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("could not read auth packet password")
+	}
+	return string(usrBytes), string(pwdBytes), nil
+}
+
 // request represents data contained within a SOCKS5
 // connection request packet.
 type request struct {
diff --git a/net/socks5/socks5_test.go b/net/socks5/socks5_test.go
index cbeffbff5..201a66575 100644
--- a/net/socks5/socks5_test.go
+++ b/net/socks5/socks5_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package socks5
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
@@ -74,3 +75,80 @@ func TestRead(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestReadPassword(t *testing.T) {
+	// backend server which we'll use SOCKS5 to connect to
+	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", ":0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	backendServerPort := ln.Addr().(*net.TCPAddr).Port
+	go backendServer(ln)
+
+	socks5ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", ":0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		socks5ln.Close()
+	})
+	auth := &proxy.Auth{User: "foo", Password: "bar"}
+	go func() {
+		s := Server{Username: auth.User, Password: auth.Password}
+		err := s.Serve(socks5ln)
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, net.ErrClosed) {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	addr := fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", socks5ln.Addr().(*net.TCPAddr).Port)
+
+	if d, err := proxy.SOCKS5("tcp", addr, nil, proxy.Direct); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else {
+		if _, err := d.Dial("tcp", addr); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected no-auth dial error")
+		}
+	}
+
+	badPwd := &proxy.Auth{User: "foo", Password: "not right"}
+	if d, err := proxy.SOCKS5("tcp", addr, badPwd, proxy.Direct); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else {
+		if _, err := d.Dial("tcp", addr); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected bad password dial error")
+		}
+	}
+
+	badUsr := &proxy.Auth{User: "not right", Password: "bar"}
+	if d, err := proxy.SOCKS5("tcp", addr, badUsr, proxy.Direct); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else {
+		if _, err := d.Dial("tcp", addr); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected bad username dial error")
+		}
+	}
+
+	socksDialer, err := proxy.SOCKS5("tcp", addr, auth, proxy.Direct)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	addr = fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", backendServerPort)
+	conn, err := socksDialer.Dial("tcp", addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 4)
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(conn, buf); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(buf) != "Test" {
+		t.Fatalf("got: %q want: Test", buf)
+	}
+
+	if err := conn.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}