diff --git a/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackendInterface.php b/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackendInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cfb2e3753
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackendInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<?php
+/* Icinga Web 2 | (c) 2013-2015 Icinga Development Team | GPLv2+ */
+
+namespace Icinga\Authentication\User;
+
+use Icinga\Exception\AuthenticationException;
+use Icinga\User;
+
+/**
+ * Interface for user backends
+ */
+interface UserBackendInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Set this backend's name
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name
+     *
+     * @return  $this
+     */
+    public function setName($name);
+
+    /**
+     * Return this backend's name
+     *
+     * @return  string
+     */
+    public function getName();
+
+    /**
+     * Authenticate the given user
+     *
+     * @param   User        $user
+     * @param   string      $password
+     *
+     * @return  bool                        True on success, false on failure
+     *
+     * @throws  AuthenticationException     In case authentication is not possible due to an error
+     */
+    public function authenticate(User $user, $password);
+}