diff --git a/internal/server/server.go b/internal/server/server.go
index aa135a1..6866f83 100644
--- a/internal/server/server.go
+++ b/internal/server/server.go
@@ -1269,9 +1269,21 @@ func writeJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, status int, v interface{}) {
 	}
 }
 
+// maxJSONBytes limits the size of JSON request bodies (1 MiB).
+//
+// Security (SEC-05): without a size limit an attacker could send a
+// multi-gigabyte body and exhaust server memory. The UI layer already
+// applies http.MaxBytesReader; this constant gives the REST API the
+// same protection.
+const maxJSONBytes = 1 << 20
+
 // decodeJSON decodes a JSON request body into v.
 // Returns false and writes a 400 response if decoding fails.
+//
+// Security (SEC-05): the body is wrapped with http.MaxBytesReader so
+// that oversized payloads are rejected before they are fully read.
 func decodeJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, v interface{}) bool {
+	r.Body = http.MaxBytesReader(w, r.Body, maxJSONBytes)
 	dec := json.NewDecoder(r.Body)
 	dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
 	if err := dec.Decode(v); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/server/server_test.go b/internal/server/server_test.go
index f7325fe..82037d1 100644
--- a/internal/server/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/server/server_test.go
@@ -594,3 +594,21 @@ func TestRenewToken(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("old token should be revoked after renewal")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestOversizedJSONBodyRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	srv, _, _, _ := newTestServer(t)
+	handler := srv.Handler()
+
+	// Build a JSON body larger than 1 MiB.
+	oversized := bytes.Repeat([]byte("A"), (1<<20)+1)
+	body := []byte(`{"username":"admin","password":"` + string(oversized) + `"}`)
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest("POST", "/v1/auth/login", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if rr.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Errorf("expected 400 for oversized body, got %d", rr.Code)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/validate/validate.go b/internal/validate/validate.go
index 65a179a..9756288 100644
--- a/internal/validate/validate.go
+++ b/internal/validate/validate.go
@@ -45,11 +45,22 @@ func Username(username string) error {
 // password.
 const MinPasswordLen = 12
 
-// Password returns nil if the plaintext password meets the minimum length
-// requirement, or a descriptive error if not.
+// MaxPasswordLen is the maximum acceptable plaintext password length.
+//
+// Security (SEC-05): Argon2id processes the full password input. Without
+// an upper bound an attacker could submit a multi-megabyte password and
+// force expensive hashing. 128 characters is generous for any real
+// password or passphrase while capping the cost.
+const MaxPasswordLen = 128
+
+// Password returns nil if the plaintext password meets the length
+// requirements, or a descriptive error if not.
 func Password(password string) error {
 	if len(password) < MinPasswordLen {
 		return fmt.Errorf("password must be at least %d characters", MinPasswordLen)
 	}
+	if len(password) > MaxPasswordLen {
+		return fmt.Errorf("password must be at most %d characters", MaxPasswordLen)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/validate/validate_test.go b/internal/validate/validate_test.go
index 106dacd..8f51a41 100644
--- a/internal/validate/validate_test.go
+++ b/internal/validate/validate_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ func TestPasswordTooShort(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPasswordTooLong(t *testing.T) {
+	// Exactly MaxPasswordLen should be accepted.
+	if err := Password(strings.Repeat("a", MaxPasswordLen)); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Password(len=%d) = %v, want nil", MaxPasswordLen, err)
+	}
+	// One over the limit should be rejected.
+	if err := Password(strings.Repeat("a", MaxPasswordLen+1)); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("Password(len=%d) = nil, want error", MaxPasswordLen+1)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUsernameValid(t *testing.T) {
 	valid := []string{
 		"alice",