Handle edge cases in sorting

**Description**
Currently auth lacks proper timeout support.

**Proposed solution**
Add configurable timeout with sensible defaults.

**Priority**: Low/Medium

The title says sorting, but the description asks for authentication timeout support, and no file or test is named. First clarify which problem is intended, then locate the relevant authentication or sorting entry point and existing tests. Done means the selected behavior is covered by tests and the configurable timeout has documented default behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.