[Dovecot] Massive Dovecot auth errors too strange for me

[Rudi K.]

Hello out there,

im running Dovecot on "ubuntu Dapper" serving pop3 only in maildir-style,
but the dove-auth-process refuses "answers" to the deliver or
login-process from time to time, (several times a day),
and I have no glue whats going on and why ...
Debbugging password-Auth surprised me, as the transmitted password
IS correct and allows an successfull authenification lots of hundreds
times a day.... but suddenly runs into trouble ..

here the logs ... 
(please take care..., I´m a newbie ;-) 

Dec 18 10:25:05 server dovecot: pop3-login: Disconnected: Inactivity: method=PLAIN, rip=91.9.201.219, lip=83.154.61.77
Dec 18 10:25:07 server deliver(user.yxz at somedom.de): User request from dovecot-auth timed out
Dec 18 10:25:07 server postfix/pipe[22156]: 63861180062A7: to=<user.yxz at somedom.de>, relay=dovecot, delay=60, status=deferred (temporary failure)


Dec 18 10:33:09 server dovecot: auth(default): ssha_verify(info at mydom.de): invalid SSHA base64 decode
Dec 18 10:33:09 server dovecot: auth(default): cache(info at mydom.de,84.166.106.150): Password mismatch
Dec 18 10:33:09 server dovecot: auth(default): cache(info at mydom.de,84.166.106.150): SSHA(1234) != '1234'
Dec 18 10:33:11 server dovecot: auth(default): client out: FAIL^I56^Iuser=info at mydom.de
Dec 18 10:33:11 server dovecot: auth(default): client out: FAIL^I57^Iuser=info at mydom.de




root at server:~# dovecot --version
1.0.rc17

root at server:~# dovecot --build-options
Build options: ioloop=poll notify=dnotify ipv6 openssl
SQL drivers: mysql postgresql sqlite
Passdb: checkpassword ldap pam passwd passwd-file shadow sql
Userdb: checkpassword ldap passwd prefetch passwd-file sql static

root at server:/etc/dovecot# grep -v '^ *\(#.*\)\?$' dovecot-ldap.conf
hosts = localhost
dn = cn=admin,dc=jdbit,dc=de
dnpass =
auth_bind = yes
ldap_version = 3
base = ou=mailsystem,dc=jdbit,dc=de
scope = subtree
user_attrs = uid=user,userPassword=password
user_filter = (&(objectClass=ekitsMailAccount)(|(uid=%u)(userAlias=%u)))
pass_attrs = uid=user,userPassword=password
pass_filter = (&(objectClass=ekitsMailAccount)(|(uid=%u)(userAlias=%u)))
default_pass_scheme = SSHA
user_global_uid = vmail
user_global_gid = vmail


root at server:~# dovecot -n
# /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
log_timestamp: %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S
protocols: pop3
listen: mail.mydom.de
disable_plaintext_auth: no
login_dir: /var/run/dovecot/login
login_executable: /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3-login
login_greeting: mail.mydom.de POP3-Server ready
login_process_size: 64
login_processes_count: 64
first_valid_uid: 5000
last_valid_uid: 5000
first_valid_gid: 5000
last_valid_gid: 5000
mail_extra_groups: mail
mail_location: maildir:/var/spool/dovecot/mail/%Ld/%Ln
mail_executable: /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3
mail_process_size: 384
mail_plugin_dir: /usr/lib/dovecot/modules/pop3
pop3_uidl_format: %08Xu%08Xv
pop3_client_workarounds: outlook-no-nuls oe-ns-eoh
auth default:
  cache_ttl: 0
  user: nobody
  worker_max_count: 60
  passdb:
    driver: ldap
    args: /etc/dovecot/dovecot-ldap.conf
  userdb:
    driver: ldap
    args: /etc/dovecot/dovecot-ldap.conf
  socket:
    type: listen
    client:
    master:
      path: /var/run/dovecot/dovecot-auth-master
      mode: 384
      user: vmail