I figured out how to do the test. 

I did set "service_vsz_limit = unlimited". With that YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=11 
works fine.

A service_vsz_limit value of 1000M is not enough to make it work.
A value of 1100M is ok.

Matthias

Am Dienstag, dem 20.01.2026 um 21:26 +0100 schrieb Tom Hendrikx via dovecot:
> Hi Matthias,
> 
> It would be nice if you could verify this assumption by raising the 
> allowed memory usage (vsz_limit) for the auth process until 
> YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=11 actually works.
> 
> Just curious though, not using yescrypt here
> 
> Kind regards,
> Tom
> 
> On 1/16/26 16:38, Matthias Bodenbinder via dovecot wrote:
> > Hello John,
> > 
> > I have answered in more detail in another email.
> > 
> > After reading a lot more about this topic I believe it is not a timeout 
> > issue but more
> > of
> > a memory allocation issue.
> > 
> > E.g.:
> > https://www.openwall.com/lists/yescrypt/2024/03/20/2
> > 
> > In the above thread it is claimed that: The value 11 results in 1 GiB 
> > memory usage
> > 
> > That is a lot. I will refrain from using that. I will go for a value of 7. 
> > That is
> > good
> > enough.
> > 
> > Kind Regards
> > Matthias
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Am Freitag, dem 16.01.2026 um 14:16 +0100 schrieb John Fawcett via dovecot:
> > > Hi Matthias
> > > 
> > > I'm pretty sure that this value (AUTH_FAILURE_DELAY_CHECK_MSECS) is the
> > > delay that Dovecot waits after the failure before reporting it, so not
> > > really relevant since the failure has already happened when that comes
> > > into play.
> > > 
> > > Out of curiosity, when you do the test that fails, how long did it take
> > > before it failed?
> > > 
> > > Maybe there is a timeout configured in pam (e.g. LOGIN_TIMEOUT in
> > > login.defs) or elsewhere.
> > > 
> > > John
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On 11/01/2026 10:11, Matthias Bodenbinder via dovecot wrote:
> > > > Am Freitag, dem 09.01.2026 um 10:30 +0100 schrieb Matthias Bodenbinder 
> > > > via
> > > > dovecot:
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > > 
> > > > > dovecot does not work with ENCRYPT_METHOD YESCRYPT and 
> > > > > YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=11.
> > > > > I have tested with 2.4.2-4 and 2.3.21.1-4 on endeavouros.
> > > > > 
> > > > > When changing YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR to 11 in /etc/login.defs and 
> > > > > recreacting the
> > > > > user
> > > > > password for my user and restarting the dovecot service I get:
> > > > > 
> > > > > # doveadm auth test matthias
> > > > > Password:
> > > > > passdb: matthias auth failed
> > > > > extra fields:
> > > > >     user=matthias
> > > > >     
> > > > > When reverting the change to YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=5 it works again:
> > > > > 
> > > > > # doveadm auth test matthias
> > > > > Password:
> > > > > passdb: matthias auth succeeded
> > > > > extra fields:
> > > > >     user=matthias
> > > > >    
> > > > > 
> > > > > I have tested this back and forth. The culprit is definitely a high 
> > > > > value for
> > > > > YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR. A value of 7 is still good but a value of 9 or 
> > > > > 11 fails.
> > > > 
> > > > Can it be that this problem has to do with
> > > > 
> > > > #define AUTH_FAILURE_DELAY_CHECK_MSECS 500
> > > > 
> > > > in auth-request-handler.c ?
> > > > 
> > > > Increasing the YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR for the password hashing will 
> > > > certainly extend
> > > > the
> > > > time of the pam auth process.
> > > > 
> > > > Matthias
> > > > 
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > dovecot mailing list [email protected]
> > > > To unsubscribe send an email [email protected]
> > >     Hi Matthias
> > > 
> > >     I'm pretty sure that this value (AUTH_FAILURE_DELAY_CHECK_MSECS) is 
> > > the
> > >     delay that Dovecot waits after the failure before reporting it, so not
> > >     really relevant since the failure has already happened when that comes
> > >     into play.
> > > 
> > >     Out of curiosity, when you do the test that fails, how long did it 
> > > take
> > >     before it failed?
> > > 
> > >     Maybe there is a timeout configured in pam (e.g. LOGIN_TIMEOUT in
> > >     login.defs) or elsewhere.
> > > 
> > >     John
> > > 
> > >     On 11/01/2026 10:11, Matthias Bodenbinder via dovecot wrote:
> > > 
> > >   Am Freitag, dem 09.01.2026 um 10:30 +0100 schrieb Matthias Bodenbinder 
> > > via
> > > dovecot:
> > > 
> > >   Hi,
> > > 
> > >   dovecot does not work with ENCRYPT_METHOD YESCRYPT and 
> > > YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=11.
> > >   I have tested with 2.4.2-4 and 2.3.21.1-4 on endeavouros.
> > > 
> > >   When changing YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR to 11 in /etc/login.defs and 
> > > recreacting the
> > > user
> > >   password for my user and restarting the dovecot service I get:
> > > 
> > >   # doveadm auth test matthias
> > >   Password:
> > >   passdb: matthias auth failed
> > >   extra fields:
> > >     user=matthias
> > > 
> > >   When reverting the change to YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR=5 it works again:
> > > 
> > >   # doveadm auth test matthias
> > >   Password:
> > >   passdb: matthias auth succeeded
> > >   extra fields:
> > >     user=matthias
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   I have tested this back and forth. The culprit is definitely a high 
> > > value for
> > >   YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR. A value of 7 is still good but a value of 9 or 11 
> > > fails.
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   Can it be that this problem has to do with
> > > 
> > >   #define AUTH_FAILURE_DELAY_CHECK_MSECS 500
> > > 
> > >   in auth-request-handler.c ?
> > > 
> > >   Increasing the YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR for the password hashing will 
> > > certainly extend
> > > the
> > >   time of the pam auth process.
> > > 
> > >   Matthias
> > > 
> > >   _______________________________________________
> > >   dovecot mailing list -- [1][email protected]
> > >   To unsubscribe send an email to [2][email protected]
> > > 
> > > References
> > > 
> > >     Visible links
> > >     1. mailto:[email protected]
> > >     2. mailto:[email protected]
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected]
> > > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected]
> > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
> 
> _______________________________________________
> dovecot mailing list -- [email protected]
> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
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