diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8c73ea1..6939e80 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ npm install @cap-js/ord
 
 To enforce authentication in the ORD Plugin, set the following environment variables:
 
-* `ORD_AUTH`: Specifies the authentication types.
+* `ORD_AUTH_TYPE`: Specifies the authentication types.
 * `BASIC_AUTH`: Contains credentials for `basic` authentication.
 
-If `ORD_AUTH` is not set, the application starts without authentication. This variable accepts `open` and `basic` (UCL-mTLS is also planned).
+If `ORD_AUTH_TYPE` is not set, the application starts without authentication. This variable accepts `open` and `basic` (UCL-mTLS is also planned).
 > Note: `open` cannot be combined with `basic` or any other (future) authentication types.
 
 #### Open
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ The `open` authentication type bypasses authentication checks.
 
 #### Basic
 
-To use `basic` authentication, set `ORD_AUTH` to `["basic"]` and provide credentials in `BASIC_AUTH`. Example:
+To use `basic` authentication, set `ORD_AUTH_TYPE` to `["basic"]` and provide credentials in `BASIC_AUTH`. Example:
 
 ```bash
 BASIC_AUTH='{"user":"password"}'
diff --git a/__tests__/unittest/authentication.test.js b/__tests__/unittest/authentication.test.js
index 00ec08e..a10f434 100644
--- a/__tests__/unittest/authentication.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/unittest/authentication.test.js
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ describe('authentication', () => {
 
     describe('Initialization of authentication config data', () => {
         beforeAll(() => {
-            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH;
+            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE;
             delete process.env.BASIC_AUTH;
             cds.env.authentication = {};
         });
 
         afterEach(() => {
-            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH;
+            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE;
             delete process.env.BASIC_AUTH;
             cds.env.authentication = {};
         });
@@ -64,38 +64,38 @@ describe('authentication', () => {
 
 
         it('should return configuration when Open authentication type is provided', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open}"]`;
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open}"]`;
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({ types: [AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open] });
         });
 
         it('should return default configuration with error when invalid authentication type is provided', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = '["InvalidType"]';
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = '["InvalidType"]';
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({ types: [AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open], error: 'Invalid authentication type' });
         });
 
         it('should return default configuration with error when Open and Basic authentication types are combined', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open}", "${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open}", "${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({ types: [AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open], error: 'Open authentication cannot be combined with any other authentication type' });
         });
 
         it('should return default configuration with error when invalid JSON is provided', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = 'typo["Open"typo]';
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = 'typo["Open"typo]';
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({ types: [AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open], error: expect.stringContaining('not valid JSON') });
         });
 
         it('should return default configuration with error when credentials are not valid JSON', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
             process.env.BASIC_AUTH = 'non-valid-json';
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({ types: [AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Open], error: expect.stringContaining('not valid JSON') });
         });
 
         it('should return auth configuration containing credentials by using data from process.env.BASIC_AUTH', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
             process.env.BASIC_AUTH = JSON.stringify(mockValidUser);
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('authentication', () => {
         });
 
         it('should return auth configuration containing credentials by using data from .cdsrc.json', () => {
-            process.env.ORD_AUTH = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
+            process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE = `["${AUTHENTICATION_TYPE.Basic}"]`;
             cds.env.authentication.credentials = mockValidUser;
             const authConfig = createAuthConfig();
             expect(authConfig).toEqual({
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ describe('authentication', () => {
 
     describe("Authentication middleware", () => {
         afterEach(() => {
-            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH;
+            delete process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE;
             delete process.env.BASIC_AUTH;
             cds.env.authentication = {}
             cds.context.authConfig = {};
diff --git a/lib/authentication.js b/lib/authentication.js
index 9b9cf7c..85e5be5 100644
--- a/lib/authentication.js
+++ b/lib/authentication.js
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ function createAuthConfig() {
     try {
         const authConfig = {};
 
-        authConfig.types = process.env.ORD_AUTH ?
-            [...new Set(JSON.parse(process.env.ORD_AUTH))] :
+        authConfig.types = process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE ?
+            [...new Set(JSON.parse(process.env.ORD_AUTH_TYPE))] :
             [...new Set(cds.env.authentication?.types)];
 
         if (!authConfig.types || authConfig.types.length === 0) {
diff --git a/xmpl/default-env.json b/xmpl/default-env.json
index dee2506..391ed96 100644
--- a/xmpl/default-env.json
+++ b/xmpl/default-env.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "ORD_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:8080",
   "ORD_SOURCE_TYPE": "local",
   "ORD_DIRECTORY": "./example",
-  "ORD_AUTH": ["basic"],
+  "ORD_AUTH_TYPE": ["basic"],
   "BASIC_AUTH": {
 	"admin": "secret"
   }