diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/machine-auth.md b/changelog/unreleased/machine-auth.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75575149c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/machine-auth.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Enhancement: Machine auth provider
+
+Adds a new authentication method used to impersonate users,
+using a shared secret, called api-key.
+
+
+https://github.com/cs3org/reva/pull/2028
diff --git a/cmd/reva/login.go b/cmd/reva/login.go
index afde835094..20298d019a 100644
--- a/cmd/reva/login.go
+++ b/cmd/reva/login.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/gob"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -29,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	registry "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/auth/registry/v1beta1"
 	gateway "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/gateway/v1beta1"
 	rpc "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/rpc/v1beta1"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 var loginCommand = func() *command {
@@ -37,9 +37,13 @@ var loginCommand = func() *command {
 	cmd.Description = func() string { return "login into the reva server" }
 	cmd.Usage = func() string { return "Usage: login <type>" }
 	listFlag := cmd.Bool("list", false, "list available login methods")
+	usernameOpt := cmd.String("username", "", "provide the username (only with machine auth)")
+	apiKeyOpt := cmd.String("api-key", "", "secret for the machine auth")
 
 	cmd.ResetFlags = func() {
 		*listFlag = false
+		*usernameOpt = ""
+		*apiKeyOpt = ""
 	}
 
 	cmd.Action = func(w ...io.Writer) error {
@@ -81,17 +85,29 @@ var loginCommand = func() *command {
 		}
 
 		authType := cmd.Args()[0]
-		reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
-		fmt.Print("username: ")
-		username, err := read(reader)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		var username, password string
+		var err error
+
+		// if the user select the machine authentication, the only way
+		// to provide the username and the password (api-key) is through
+		// the flags -username and -api-key respectively
+		if authType == "machine" {
+			username = *usernameOpt
+			password = *apiKeyOpt
+		} else {
+			// for the other methods, take the username and pw from the stdin
+			reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
+			fmt.Print("username: ")
+			username, err = read(reader)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
-		fmt.Print("password: ")
-		password, err := readPassword(0)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			fmt.Print("password: ")
+			password, err = readPassword(0)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 
 		client, err := getClient()
diff --git a/pkg/auth/manager/loader/loader.go b/pkg/auth/manager/loader/loader.go
index adbc173848..1c6c7eff15 100644
--- a/pkg/auth/manager/loader/loader.go
+++ b/pkg/auth/manager/loader/loader.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/impersonator"
 	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/json"
 	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/ldap"
+	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/machine"
 	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/oidc"
 	_ "github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/publicshares"
 	// Add your own here
diff --git a/pkg/auth/manager/machine/machine.go b/pkg/auth/manager/machine/machine.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a014987a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/auth/manager/machine/machine.go
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+// Copyright 2018-2021 CERN
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//
+// In applying this license, CERN does not waive the privileges and immunities
+// granted to it by virtue of its status as an Intergovernmental Organization
+// or submit itself to any jurisdiction.
+
+package machine
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	authpb "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/auth/provider/v1beta1"
+	user "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/identity/user/v1beta1"
+	rpc "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/rpc/v1beta1"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/manager/registry"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/auth/scope"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/errtypes"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/rgrpc/todo/pool"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+// 'machine' is an authentication method used to impersonate users.
+// To impersonate the given user it's only needed an api-key, saved
+// in a config file.
+
+type manager struct {
+	APIKey      string `mapstructure:"api_key"`
+	GatewayAddr string `mapstructure:"gateway_addr"`
+}
+
+func init() {
+	registry.Register("machine", New)
+}
+
+// Configure parses the map conf
+func (m *manager) Configure(conf map[string]interface{}) error {
+	err := mapstructure.Decode(conf, m)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error decoding conf")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// New creates a new manager for the 'machine' authentication
+func New(conf map[string]interface{}) (auth.Manager, error) {
+	m := &manager{}
+	err := m.Configure(conf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return m, nil
+}
+
+// Authenticate impersonate an user if the provided secret is equal to the api-key
+func (m *manager) Authenticate(ctx context.Context, username, secret string) (*user.User, map[string]*authpb.Scope, error) {
+	if m.APIKey != secret {
+		return nil, nil, errtypes.InvalidCredentials("")
+	}
+
+	gtw, err := pool.GetGatewayServiceClient(m.GatewayAddr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	userResponse, err := gtw.GetUserByClaim(ctx, &user.GetUserByClaimRequest{
+		Claim: "username",
+		Value: username,
+	})
+
+	switch {
+	case err != nil:
+		return nil, nil, err
+	case userResponse.Status.Code == rpc.Code_CODE_NOT_FOUND:
+		return nil, nil, errtypes.NotFound(userResponse.Status.Message)
+	case userResponse.Status.Code != rpc.Code_CODE_OK:
+		return nil, nil, errtypes.InternalError(userResponse.Status.Message)
+	}
+
+	scope, err := scope.AddOwnerScope(nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	return userResponse.GetUser(), scope, nil
+
+}