diff --git a/.coveragerc b/.coveragerc
index a9ec9942..efa9a2ff 100644
--- a/.coveragerc
+++ b/.coveragerc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 branch = True
 source =
     pymysql
+    tests
 omit = pymysql/tests/*
        pymysql/tests/thirdparty/test_MySQLdb/*
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index df49979e..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-# For most projects, this workflow file will not need changing; you simply need
-# to commit it to your repository.
-#
-# You may wish to alter this file to override the set of languages analyzed,
-# or to provide custom queries or build logic.
-#
-# ******** NOTE ********
-# We have attempted to detect the languages in your repository. Please check
-# the `language` matrix defined below to confirm you have the correct set of
-# supported CodeQL languages.
-#
-name: "CodeQL"
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: [ main ]
-  pull_request:
-    # The branches below must be a subset of the branches above
-    branches: [ main ]
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '34 7 * * 2'
-
-jobs:
-  analyze:
-    name: Analyze
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-
-    steps:
-    - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-    # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
-    - name: Initialize CodeQL
-      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
-      with:
-        languages: "python"
-        # If you wish to specify custom queries, you can do so here or in a config file.
-        # By default, queries listed here will override any specified in a config file.
-        # Prefix the list here with "+" to use these queries and those in the config file.
-        # queries: ./path/to/local/query, your-org/your-repo/queries@main
-
-    # Autobuild attempts to build any compiled languages  (C/C++, C#, or Java).
-    # If this step fails, then you should remove it and run the build manually (see below)
-    - name: Autobuild
-      uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@v3
-
-    # ℹ️ Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
-    # 📚 https://git.io/JvXDl
-
-    # ✏️ If the Autobuild fails above, remove it and uncomment the following three lines
-    #    and modify them (or add more) to build your code if your project
-    #    uses a compiled language
-
-    #- run: |
-    #   make bootstrap
-    #   make release
-
-    - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
-      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codesee-arch-diagram.yml b/.github/workflows/codesee-arch-diagram.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 806d41d1..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/codesee-arch-diagram.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-# This workflow was added by CodeSee. Learn more at https://codesee.io/
-# This is v2.0 of this workflow file
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-  pull_request_target:
-    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
-
-name: CodeSee
-
-permissions: read-all
-
-jobs:
-  codesee:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    continue-on-error: true
-    name: Analyze the repo with CodeSee
-    steps:
-      - uses: Codesee-io/codesee-action@v2
-        with:
-          codesee-token: ${{ secrets.CODESEE_ARCH_DIAG_API_TOKEN }}
-          codesee-url: https://app.codesee.io
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
index 269211c2..07ea6603 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
@@ -13,13 +13,12 @@ jobs:
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: lint
-        uses: chartboost/ruff-action@v1
+      - uses: astral-sh/ruff-action@v3
+
+      - name: format
+        run: ruff format --diff
 
-      - name: check format
-        uses: chartboost/ruff-action@v1
-        with:
-          args: "format --diff"
+      - name: lint
+        run: ruff check --diff
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lock.yml b/.github/workflows/lock.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 21449e3b..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/lock.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-name: 'Lock Threads'
-
-on:
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '30 9 * * 1'
-
-permissions:
-  issues: write
-  pull-requests: write
-
-jobs:
-  lock-threads:
-    if: github.repository == 'PyMySQL/PyMySQL'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: dessant/lock-threads@v5
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index 6d59d8c4..6abc96b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -19,29 +19,30 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - db: "mariadb:10.4"
-            py: "3.8"
+            py: "3.13"
 
           - db: "mariadb:10.5"
-            py: "3.7"
+            py: "3.11"
 
           - db: "mariadb:10.6"
-            py: "3.11"
+            py: "3.10"
 
           - db: "mariadb:10.6"
-            py: "3.12"
+            py: "3.9"
 
           - db: "mariadb:lts"
-            py: "3.9"
+            py: "3.8"
 
           - db: "mysql:5.7"
-            py: "pypy-3.8"
+            py: "pypy-3.10"
 
           - db: "mysql:8.0"
-            py: "3.9"
+            py: "3.13"
             mysql_auth: true
 
-          - db: "mysql:8.0"
-            py: "3.10"
+          - db: "mysql:8.4"
+            py: "3.8"
+            mysql_auth: true
 
     services:
       mysql:
@@ -106,4 +107,4 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload coverage reports to Codecov
         if: github.repository == 'PyMySQL/PyMySQL'
-        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
+        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v5
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a91c6008..7d8bfc86 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 [![Documentation Status](https://readthedocs.org/projects/pymysql/badge/?version=latest)](https://pymysql.readthedocs.io/)
 [![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/PyMySQL/PyMySQL/branch/main/graph/badge.svg?token=ppEuaNXBW4)](https://codecov.io/gh/PyMySQL/PyMySQL)
+[![Ask DeepWiki](https://deepwiki.com/badge.svg)](https://deepwiki.com/PyMySQL/PyMySQL)
 
 # PyMySQL
 
-This package contains a pure-Python MySQL and MariaDB client library, based on [PEP
-249](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0249/).
+This package contains a pure-Python MySQL and MariaDB client library, based on
+[PEP 249](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0249/).
 
 ## Requirements
 
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ This example will print:
 
 - DB-API 2.0: <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0249/>
 - MySQL Reference Manuals: <https://dev.mysql.com/doc/>
+- Getting Help With MariaDB <https://mariadb.com/kb/en/getting-help-with-mariadb/>
 - MySQL client/server protocol:
   <https://dev.mysql.com/doc/internals/en/client-server-protocol.html>
 - "Connector" channel in MySQL Community Slack:
diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index 01406623..48319f03 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-sphinx~=7.2
-sphinx-rtd-theme~=2.0.0
+sphinx~=8.0
+sphinx-rtd-theme~=3.0.0
diff --git a/pymysql/_auth.py b/pymysql/_auth.py
index 8ce744fb..4790449b 100644
--- a/pymysql/_auth.py
+++ b/pymysql/_auth.py
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ def sha256_password_auth(conn, pkt):
 
     if pkt.is_auth_switch_request():
         conn.salt = pkt.read_all()
+        if conn.salt.endswith(b"\0"):
+            conn.salt = conn.salt[:-1]
         if not conn.server_public_key and conn.password:
             # Request server public key
             if DEBUG:
@@ -215,9 +217,11 @@ def caching_sha2_password_auth(conn, pkt):
 
     if pkt.is_auth_switch_request():
         # Try from fast auth
-        if DEBUG:
-            print("caching sha2: Trying fast path")
         conn.salt = pkt.read_all()
+        if conn.salt.endswith(b"\0"):  # str.removesuffix is available in 3.9
+            conn.salt = conn.salt[:-1]
+        if DEBUG:
+            print(f"caching sha2: Trying fast path. salt={conn.salt.hex()!r}")
         scrambled = scramble_caching_sha2(conn.password, conn.salt)
         pkt = _roundtrip(conn, scrambled)
     # else: fast auth is tried in initial handshake
diff --git a/pymysql/charset.py b/pymysql/charset.py
index b1c1ca8b..ec8e14e2 100644
--- a/pymysql/charset.py
+++ b/pymysql/charset.py
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ def by_id(self, id):
         return self._by_id[id]
 
     def by_name(self, name):
+        name = name.lower()
         if name == "utf8":
             name = "utf8mb4"
-        return self._by_name.get(name.lower())
+        return self._by_name.get(name)
 
 
 _charsets = Charsets()
diff --git a/pymysql/connections.py b/pymysql/connections.py
index 5f60377e..99fcfcd0 100644
--- a/pymysql/connections.py
+++ b/pymysql/connections.py
@@ -40,11 +40,14 @@
 
     DEFAULT_USER = getpass.getuser()
     del getpass
-except (ImportError, KeyError):
-    # KeyError occurs when there's no entry in OS database for a current user.
+except (ImportError, KeyError, OSError):
+    # When there's no entry in OS database for a current user:
+    # KeyError is raised in Python 3.12 and below.
+    # OSError is raised in Python 3.13+
     DEFAULT_USER = None
 
 DEBUG = False
+_DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN = None  # if this is not None, use it instead of server's default.
 
 TEXT_TYPES = {
     FIELD_TYPE.BIT,
@@ -375,6 +378,12 @@ def _create_ssl_ctx(self, sslp):
         capath = sslp.get("capath")
         hasnoca = ca is None and capath is None
         ctx = ssl.create_default_context(cafile=ca, capath=capath)
+
+        # Python 3.13 enables VERIFY_X509_STRICT by default.
+        # But self signed certificates that are generated by MySQL automatically
+        # doesn't pass the verification.
+        ctx.verify_flags &= ~ssl.VERIFY_X509_STRICT
+
         ctx.check_hostname = not hasnoca and sslp.get("check_hostname", True)
         verify_mode_value = sslp.get("verify_mode")
         if verify_mode_value is None:
@@ -574,9 +583,9 @@ def affected_rows(self):
         return self._affected_rows
 
     def kill(self, thread_id):
-        arg = struct.pack("<I", thread_id)
-        self._execute_command(COMMAND.COM_PROCESS_KILL, arg)
-        return self._read_ok_packet()
+        if not isinstance(thread_id, int):
+            raise TypeError("thread_id must be an integer")
+        self.query(f"KILL {thread_id:d}")
 
     def ping(self, reconnect=True):
         """
@@ -1150,6 +1159,9 @@ def _get_server_information(self):
             else:
                 self._auth_plugin_name = data[i:server_end].decode("utf-8")
 
+        if _DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN is not None:  # for tests
+            self._auth_plugin_name = _DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN
+
     def get_server_info(self):
         return self.server_version
 
diff --git a/pymysql/tests/test_charset.py b/pymysql/tests/test_charset.py
index 94e6e155..1dbe6fff 100644
--- a/pymysql/tests/test_charset.py
+++ b/pymysql/tests/test_charset.py
@@ -21,5 +21,24 @@ def test_utf8():
     )
 
     # utf8 is alias of utf8mb4 since MySQL 8.0, and PyMySQL v1.1.
-    utf8 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("utf8")
-    assert utf8 == utf8mb4
+    lowercase_utf8 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("utf8")
+    assert lowercase_utf8 == utf8mb4
+
+    # Regardless of case, UTF8 (which is special cased) should resolve to the same thing
+    uppercase_utf8 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("UTF8")
+    mixedcase_utf8 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("UtF8")
+    assert uppercase_utf8 == lowercase_utf8
+    assert mixedcase_utf8 == lowercase_utf8
+
+
+def test_case_sensitivity():
+    lowercase_latin1 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("latin1")
+    assert lowercase_latin1 is not None
+
+    # lowercase and uppercase should resolve to the same charset
+    uppercase_latin1 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("LATIN1")
+    assert uppercase_latin1 == lowercase_latin1
+
+    # lowercase and mixed case should resolve to the same charset
+    mixedcase_latin1 = pymysql.charset.charset_by_name("LaTiN1")
+    assert mixedcase_latin1 == lowercase_latin1
diff --git a/pymysql/tests/test_connection.py b/pymysql/tests/test_connection.py
index 61dba600..1a16c982 100644
--- a/pymysql/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/pymysql/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -558,8 +558,8 @@ def test_defer_connect(self):
         sock.close()
 
     def test_ssl_connect(self):
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -570,6 +570,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     "key": "key",
                     "cipher": "cipher",
                 },
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -581,8 +582,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             )
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_called_with("cipher")
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -592,6 +593,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     "cert": "cert",
                     "key": "key",
                 },
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -603,8 +605,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             )
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -615,6 +617,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     "key": "key",
                     "password": "password",
                 },
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -626,13 +629,14 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             )
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
             pymysql.connect(
                 ssl_ca="ca",
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert not dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -640,8 +644,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             dummy_ssl_context.load_cert_chain.assert_not_called
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -649,6 +653,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                 ssl_ca="ca",
                 ssl_cert="cert",
                 ssl_key="key",
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert not dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -661,8 +666,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
         for ssl_verify_cert in (True, "1", "yes", "true"):
-            dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-            with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+            dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+            with mock.patch(
                 "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
                 new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
             ) as create_default_context:
@@ -670,6 +675,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     ssl_cert="cert",
                     ssl_key="key",
                     ssl_verify_cert=ssl_verify_cert,
+                    defer_connect=True,
                 )
                 assert create_default_context.called
                 assert not dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -682,8 +688,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                 dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
         for ssl_verify_cert in (None, False, "0", "no", "false"):
-            dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-            with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+            dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+            with mock.patch(
                 "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
                 new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
             ) as create_default_context:
@@ -691,6 +697,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     ssl_cert="cert",
                     ssl_key="key",
                     ssl_verify_cert=ssl_verify_cert,
+                    defer_connect=True,
                 )
                 assert create_default_context.called
                 assert not dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -704,8 +711,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
 
         for ssl_ca in ("ca", None):
             for ssl_verify_cert in ("foo", "bar", ""):
-                dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-                with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+                dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+                with mock.patch(
                     "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
                     new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
                 ) as create_default_context:
@@ -714,6 +721,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                         ssl_cert="cert",
                         ssl_key="key",
                         ssl_verify_cert=ssl_verify_cert,
+                        defer_connect=True,
                     )
                     assert create_default_context.called
                     assert not dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -727,8 +735,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     )
                     dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -737,6 +745,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                 ssl_cert="cert",
                 ssl_key="key",
                 ssl_verify_identity=True,
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -748,8 +757,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             )
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -759,6 +768,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                 ssl_key="key",
                 ssl_key_password="password",
                 ssl_verify_identity=True,
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert create_default_context.called
             assert dummy_ssl_context.check_hostname
@@ -770,8 +780,8 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
             )
             dummy_ssl_context.set_ciphers.assert_not_called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -782,11 +792,12 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                     "cert": "cert",
                     "key": "key",
                 },
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert not create_default_context.called
 
-        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0)
-        with mock.patch("pymysql.connections.Connection.connect"), mock.patch(
+        dummy_ssl_context = mock.Mock(options=0, verify_flags=0)
+        with mock.patch(
             "pymysql.connections.ssl.create_default_context",
             new=mock.Mock(return_value=dummy_ssl_context),
         ) as create_default_context:
@@ -795,6 +806,7 @@ def test_ssl_connect(self):
                 ssl_ca="ca",
                 ssl_cert="cert",
                 ssl_key="key",
+                defer_connect=True,
             )
             assert not create_default_context.called
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8cd9ddb4..ee103916 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPython",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPy",
     "Intended Audience :: Developers",
diff --git a/tests/test_auth.py b/tests/test_auth.py
index e5e2a64e..d7a0e82f 100644
--- a/tests/test_auth.py
+++ b/tests/test_auth.py
@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ def test_caching_sha2_password():
     con.query("FLUSH PRIVILEGES")
     con.close()
 
+    # Fast path after auth_switch_request
+    pymysql.connections._DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN = "mysql_native_password"
+    con = pymysql.connect(
+        user="user_caching_sha2",
+        password=pass_caching_sha2,
+        host=host,
+        port=port,
+        ssl=ssl,
+    )
+    con.query("FLUSH PRIVILEGES")
+    con.close()
+    pymysql.connections._DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN = None
+
 
 def test_caching_sha2_password_ssl():
     con = pymysql.connect(
@@ -88,7 +101,20 @@ def test_caching_sha2_password_ssl():
         password=pass_caching_sha2,
         host=host,
         port=port,
-        ssl=None,
+        ssl=ssl,
+    )
+    con.query("FLUSH PRIVILEGES")
+    con.close()
+
+    # Fast path after auth_switch_request
+    pymysql.connections._DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN = "mysql_native_password"
+    con = pymysql.connect(
+        user="user_caching_sha2",
+        password=pass_caching_sha2,
+        host=host,
+        port=port,
+        ssl=ssl,
     )
     con.query("FLUSH PRIVILEGES")
     con.close()
+    pymysql.connections._DEFAULT_AUTH_PLUGIN = None