diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 50063cbff..24b49decc 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+1.7.8.dev0
+ * #621: Add optional authentication to the ntfy monitoring hook.
+
 1.7.7
  * #642: Add MySQL database hook "add_drop_database" configuration option to control whether dumped
    MySQL databases get dropped right before restore.
diff --git a/borgmatic/hooks/ntfy.py b/borgmatic/hooks/ntfy.py
index 3120500f3..99ed254a7 100644
--- a/borgmatic/hooks/ntfy.py
+++ b/borgmatic/hooks/ntfy.py
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ def ping_monitor(hook_config, config_filename, state, monitoring_log_level, dry_
         auth = None
         if (username and password) is not None:
             auth = requests.auth.HTTPBasicAuth(username, password)
-            logger.info(f'{config_filename}: Using basic auth with user {username} for Ntfy')
+            logger.info(f'{config_filename}: Using basic auth with user {username} for ntfy')
         elif username is not None:
-            logger.warn(
-                f'{config_filename}: Password missing for Ntfy authentication, defaulting to no auth'
+            logger.warning(
+                f'{config_filename}: Password missing for ntfy authentication, defaulting to no auth'
             )
         elif password is not None:
-            logger.warn(
-                f'{config_filename}: Username missing for Ntfy authentication, defaulting to no auth'
+            logger.warning(
+                f'{config_filename}: Username missing for ntfy authentication, defaulting to no auth'
             )
 
         if not dry_run:
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def ping_monitor(hook_config, config_filename, state, monitoring_log_level, dry_
                 if not response.ok:
                     response.raise_for_status()
             except requests.exceptions.RequestException as error:
-                logger.warning(f'{config_filename}: Ntfy error: {error}')
+                logger.warning(f'{config_filename}: ntfy error: {error}')
 
 
 def destroy_monitor(
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c3222198d..88a780e69 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
 
-VERSION = '1.7.7'
+VERSION = '1.7.8.dev0'
 
 
 setup(