diff --git a/shell/middleware/authenticated.js b/shell/middleware/authenticated.js
index 3fcc463ac98..698e55ec7fd 100644
--- a/shell/middleware/authenticated.js
+++ b/shell/middleware/authenticated.js
@@ -1,86 +1,21 @@
-import { NAME as EXPLORER } from '@shell/config/product/explorer';
-import { SETUP, TIMED_OUT } from '@shell/config/query-params';
+import { SETUP } from '@shell/config/query-params';
 import { SETTING } from '@shell/config/settings';
 import { MANAGEMENT, NORMAN, DEFAULT_WORKSPACE } from '@shell/config/types';
 import { applyProducts } from '@shell/store/type-map';
-import { findBy } from '@shell/utils/array';
 import { ClusterNotFoundError, RedirectToError } from '@shell/utils/error';
 import { get } from '@shell/utils/object';
 import dynamicPluginLoader from '@shell/pkg/dynamic-plugin-loader';
 import { AFTER_LOGIN_ROUTE, WORKSPACE } from '@shell/store/prefs';
 import { BACK_TO } from '@shell/config/local-storage';
 import { NAME as FLEET_NAME } from '@shell/config/product/fleet.js';
-import { canViewResource } from '@shell/utils/auth';
-import { getClusterFromRoute, getProductFromRoute, getPackageFromRoute, getResourceFromRoute } from '@shell/utils/router';
+import {
+  validateResource, setProduct, isLoggedIn, notLoggedIn, noAuth, tryInitialSetup, findMe
+} from '@shell/utils/auth';
+import { getClusterFromRoute, getProductFromRoute, getPackageFromRoute } from '@shell/utils/router';
 import { fetchInitialSettings } from '@shell/utils/settings';
 
 let beforeEachSetup = false;
 
-function setProduct(store, to) {
-  let product = getProductFromRoute(to);
-
-  // since all products are hardcoded as routes (ex: c-local-explorer), if we match the wildcard route it means that the product does not exist
-  if ((product && (!to.matched.length || (to.matched.length && to.matched[0].path === '/c/:cluster/:product'))) ||
-  // if the product grabbed from the route is not registered, then we don't have it!
-  (product && !store.getters['type-map/isProductRegistered'](product))) {
-    const error = new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.productNotFound', { productNotFound: product }, true));
-
-    store.dispatch('loadingError', error);
-
-    throw new Error('loadingError', new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.productNotFound', { productNotFound: product }, true)));
-  }
-
-  if ( !product ) {
-    product = EXPLORER;
-  }
-
-  const oldProduct = store.getters['productId'];
-  const oldStore = store.getters['currentProduct']?.inStore;
-
-  if ( product !== oldProduct ) {
-    store.commit('setProduct', product);
-  }
-
-  const neuStore = store.getters['currentProduct']?.inStore;
-
-  if ( neuStore !== oldStore ) {
-    // If the product store changes, clear the catalog.
-    // There might be management catalog items in it vs cluster.
-    store.commit('catalog/reset');
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Check that the resource is valid, if not redirect to fail whale
- *
- * This requires that
- * - product is set
- * - product's store is set and setup (so we can check schema's within it)
- * - product's store has the schemaFor getter (extension stores might not have it)
- * - there's a resource associated with route (meta or param)
- */
-function validateResource(store, to) {
-  const product = store.getters['currentProduct'];
-  const resource = getResourceFromRoute(to);
-
-  // In order to check a resource is valid we need these
-  if (!product || !resource) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  if (canViewResource(store, resource)) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  // Unknown resource, redirect to fail whale
-
-  const error = new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.resourceNotFound', { resource }, true));
-
-  store.dispatch('loadingError', error);
-
-  throw error;
-}
-
 export default async function({
   route, store, redirect, from, $plugin, next
 }) {
@@ -141,26 +76,6 @@ export default async function({
     }
   }
 
-  // Make sure you're actually logged in
-  function isLoggedIn(me) {
-    store.commit('auth/hasAuth', true);
-    store.commit('auth/loggedInAs', me.id);
-  }
-
-  function notLoggedIn() {
-    store.commit('auth/hasAuth', true);
-
-    if ( route.name === 'index' ) {
-      return redirect(302, '/auth/login');
-    } else {
-      return redirect(302, `/auth/login?${ TIMED_OUT }`);
-    }
-  }
-
-  function noAuth() {
-    store.commit('auth/hasAuth', false);
-  }
-
   if ( store.getters['auth/enabled'] !== false && !store.getters['auth/loggedIn'] ) {
     // `await` so we have one successfully request whilst possibly logged in (ensures fromHeader is populated from `x-api-cattle-auth`)
     await store.dispatch('auth/getUser');
@@ -175,13 +90,13 @@ export default async function({
     const fromHeader = store.getters['auth/fromHeader'];
 
     if ( fromHeader === 'none' ) {
-      noAuth();
+      noAuth(store);
     } else if ( fromHeader === 'true' ) {
       const me = await findMe(store);
 
-      isLoggedIn(me);
+      isLoggedIn(store, me);
     } else if ( fromHeader === 'false' ) {
-      notLoggedIn();
+      notLoggedIn(store, redirect, route);
 
       return;
     } else {
@@ -189,15 +104,15 @@ export default async function({
       try {
         const me = await findMe(store);
 
-        isLoggedIn(me);
+        isLoggedIn(store, me);
       } catch (e) {
         const status = e?._status;
 
         if ( status === 404 ) {
-          noAuth();
+          noAuth(store);
         } else {
           if ( status === 401 ) {
-            notLoggedIn();
+            notLoggedIn(store, redirect, route);
           } else {
             store.commit('setError', { error: e, locationError: new Error('Auth Middleware') });
           }
@@ -380,36 +295,3 @@ export default async function({
     }
   }
 }
-
-async function findMe(store) {
-  // First thing we do in loadManagement is fetch principals anyway.... so don't ?me=true here
-  const principals = await store.dispatch('rancher/findAll', {
-    type: NORMAN.PRINCIPAL,
-    opt:  {
-      url:                  '/v3/principals',
-      redirectUnauthorized: false,
-    }
-  });
-
-  const me = findBy(principals, 'me', true);
-
-  return me;
-}
-
-async function tryInitialSetup(store, password = 'admin') {
-  try {
-    const res = await store.dispatch('auth/login', {
-      provider: 'local',
-      body:     {
-        username: 'admin',
-        password
-      },
-    });
-
-    return res._status === 200;
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.error('Error trying initial setup', e); // eslint-disable-line no-console
-
-    return false;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/shell/utils/auth.js b/shell/utils/auth.js
index 6b09ca1acf6..ae134c441c3 100644
--- a/shell/utils/auth.js
+++ b/shell/utils/auth.js
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import { Popup, popupWindowOptions } from '@shell/utils/window';
 import { parse as parseUrl, addParam } from '@shell/utils/url';
-import { BACK_TO, SPA, _EDIT, _FLAGGED } from '@shell/config/query-params';
-import { MANAGEMENT } from '@shell/config/types';
+import {
+  BACK_TO, SPA, _EDIT, _FLAGGED, TIMED_OUT
+} from '@shell/config/query-params';
+import { MANAGEMENT, NORMAN } from '@shell/config/types';
 import { allHash } from '@shell/utils/promise';
+import { getProductFromRoute, getResourceFromRoute } from '@shell/utils/router';
+import { NAME as EXPLORER } from '@shell/config/product/explorer';
+import { findBy } from '@shell/utils/array';
 
 export function openAuthPopup(url, provider) {
   const popup = new Popup(() => {
@@ -161,3 +166,146 @@ export const canViewResource = (store, resource) => {
 
   return !!validResource;
 };
+
+// ************************************************************
+//
+// BELOW ARE METHODS THAT ARE A PART OF THE AUTHENTICATED MIDDLEWARE REMOVAL. THIS IS A TEMPORARY HOME FOR THESE UTILS AND SHOULD BE REWRITTEN, MOVED OR DELETED.
+//
+// TODO: Remove and refactor everything below for more clarity and better organization.
+//
+// ************************************************************
+
+/**
+ * Attempt to set the product in our datastore if the route matches a known product. Otherwise show an error page instead.
+ */
+export function setProduct(store, to) {
+  let product = getProductFromRoute(to);
+
+  // since all products are hardcoded as routes (ex: c-local-explorer), if we match the wildcard route it means that the product does not exist
+  if ((product && (!to.matched.length || (to.matched.length && to.matched[0].path === '/c/:cluster/:product'))) ||
+  // if the product grabbed from the route is not registered, then we don't have it!
+  (product && !store.getters['type-map/isProductRegistered'](product))) {
+    const error = new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.productNotFound', { productNotFound: product }, true));
+
+    store.dispatch('loadingError', error);
+
+    throw new Error('loadingError', new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.productNotFound', { productNotFound: product }, true)));
+  }
+
+  if ( !product ) {
+    product = EXPLORER;
+  }
+
+  const oldProduct = store.getters['productId'];
+  const oldStore = store.getters['currentProduct']?.inStore;
+
+  if ( product !== oldProduct ) {
+    store.commit('setProduct', product);
+  }
+
+  const neuStore = store.getters['currentProduct']?.inStore;
+
+  if ( neuStore !== oldStore ) {
+    // If the product store changes, clear the catalog.
+    // There might be management catalog items in it vs cluster.
+    store.commit('catalog/reset');
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check that the resource is valid, if not redirect to fail whale
+ *
+ * This requires that
+ * - product is set
+ * - product's store is set and setup (so we can check schema's within it)
+ * - product's store has the schemaFor getter (extension stores might not have it)
+ * - there's a resource associated with route (meta or param)
+ */
+export function validateResource(store, to) {
+  const product = store.getters['currentProduct'];
+  const resource = getResourceFromRoute(to);
+
+  // In order to check a resource is valid we need these
+  if (!product || !resource) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (canViewResource(store, resource)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Unknown resource, redirect to fail whale
+
+  const error = new Error(store.getters['i18n/t']('nav.failWhale.resourceNotFound', { resource }, true));
+
+  store.dispatch('loadingError', error);
+
+  throw error;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Attempt to load the current user's principal
+ */
+export async function findMe(store) {
+  // First thing we do in loadManagement is fetch principals anyway.... so don't ?me=true here
+  const principals = await store.dispatch('rancher/findAll', {
+    type: NORMAN.PRINCIPAL,
+    opt:  {
+      url:                  '/v3/principals',
+      redirectUnauthorized: false,
+    }
+  });
+
+  const me = findBy(principals, 'me', true);
+
+  return me;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Attempt to login with default credentials. Note: I think that this may actually be outdated since we don't use these default credentials anymore on setup.
+ */
+export async function tryInitialSetup(store, password = 'admin') {
+  try {
+    const res = await store.dispatch('auth/login', {
+      provider: 'local',
+      body:     {
+        username: 'admin',
+        password
+      },
+    });
+
+    return res._status === 200;
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error('Error trying initial setup', e); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Record in our state management that we're indeed logged in
+ */
+export function isLoggedIn(store, me) {
+  store.commit('auth/hasAuth', true);
+  store.commit('auth/loggedInAs', me.id);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Record in our state management that we're not logged in and then redirect to the login page
+ */
+export function notLoggedIn(store, redirect, route) {
+  store.commit('auth/hasAuth', true);
+
+  if ( route.name === 'index' ) {
+    return redirect(302, '/auth/login');
+  } else {
+    return redirect(302, `/auth/login?${ TIMED_OUT }`);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Record in our state management that we don't have any auth providers
+ */
+export function noAuth(store) {
+  store.commit('auth/hasAuth', false);
+}