diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
index 3ae3914..6082217 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ on:
         type: boolean
       java_version:
         type: string
-        default: '11'
+        default: '21'
       publish_vulnerabilities:
         type: string
         default: 'true'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
index 2fd7ed4..e8485b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ jobs:
   build:
     uses: IABTechLab/uid2-shared-actions/.github/workflows/shared-build-and-test.yaml@v2
     secrets: inherit
+    with:
+      java_version: 21
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index e3118dc..e378b0e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@
   </scm>
   <properties>
     <image.version>${project.version}</image.version>
-
+    <maven.compiler.source>21</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.target>21</maven.compiler.target>
+    <java.version>21</java.version>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencies>
@@ -52,16 +54,16 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.8.0</version>
+        <version>3.13.0</version>
         <configuration>
-          <source>1.8</source>
-          <target>1.8</target>
+          <source>21</source>
+          <target>21</target>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>1.6.7</version>
+        <version>1.7.0</version>
         <extensions>true</extensions>
         <configuration>
           <serverId>ossrh</serverId>
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>3.3.1</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <id>attach-sources</id>
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.5</version>
+        <version>2.7</version>
         <configuration>
           <encoding>UTF-8</encoding>
         </configuration>
@@ -92,7 +95,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.3.2</version>
+        <version>3.8.0</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <id>attach-javadocs</id>
@@ -105,7 +108,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
         <artifactId>properties-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>1.0.0</version>
+        <version>1.2.1</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <phase>generate-resources</phase>
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.1</version>
+        <version>3.2.4</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <id>sign-artifacts</id>
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
         <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>0.8.8</version>
+        <version>0.8.12</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <goals>