diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
index 6e5d811..8ececb7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on: [pull_request, push, workflow_dispatch]
 jobs:
   build:
     uses: IABTechLab/uid2-shared-actions/.github/workflows/shared-build-and-test.yaml@v2
-    secrets: inherit
     with:
       vulnerability_scan_only: true
+      java_version: "21"
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-e2e-test-suites-docker-image.yaml b/.github/workflows/publish-e2e-test-suites-docker-image.yaml
index 594e0b1..6b200ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-e2e-test-suites-docker-image.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-e2e-test-suites-docker-image.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
     with:
       release_type: ${{ inputs.release_type }}
       version_number_input: ${{ inputs.version_number_input }}
-      java_version: '17'
+      java_version: '21'
       force_release: 'yes'
       skip_tests: true
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-image.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate-image.yaml
index ad1f0e8..a495302 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-image.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-image.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ jobs:
     with: 
       failure_severity: ${{ inputs.failure_severity || 'HIGH'}}
       fail_on_error: ${{ inputs.fail_on_error || true }}
-      java_version: '17'
+      java_version: '21'
       skip_tests: true
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 9c2043c..4df4d39 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ######################
 # Build dependencies #
 ######################
-FROM maven:3.9.5-eclipse-temurin-17
+FROM maven:3.9.8-eclipse-temurin-21
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 09b46bb..b024a04 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 
     <groupId>com.uid2</groupId>
     <artifactId>uid2-e2e</artifactId>
-    <version>3.0.59-7310afd26d</version>
+    <version>3.0.60-alpha-27-SNAPSHOT</version>
     <properties>
-        <maven.compiler.source>17</maven.compiler.source>
-        <maven.compiler.target>17</maven.compiler.target>
-        <uid2-shared.version>7.9.0</uid2-shared.version>
+        <maven.compiler.source>21</maven.compiler.source>
+        <maven.compiler.target>21</maven.compiler.target>
+        <uid2-shared.version>7.17.1-alpha-145-SNAPSHOT</uid2-shared.version>
     </properties>
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
 
@@ -37,13 +37,18 @@
             <releases><enabled>false</enabled></releases>
             <snapshots><enabled>true</enabled></snapshots>
         </repository>
+        <repository>
+            <id>maven_central</id>
+            <name>Maven Central</name>
+            <url>https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/</url>
+        </repository>
     </repositories>
     <dependencyManagement>
         <dependencies>
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.junit</groupId>
                 <artifactId>junit-bom</artifactId>
-                <version>5.10.2</version>
+                <version>5.10.3</version>
                 <type>pom</type>
                 <scope>import</scope>
             </dependency>
@@ -74,7 +79,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.assertj</groupId>
             <artifactId>assertj-core</artifactId>
-            <version>3.25.2</version>
+            <version>3.26.3</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
@@ -97,13 +102,13 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.awaitility</groupId>
             <artifactId>awaitility</artifactId>
-            <version>4.2.0</version>
+            <version>4.2.1</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
             <artifactId>commons-lang3</artifactId>
-            <version>3.14.0</version>
+            <version>3.15.0</version>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/app/LocalPublicApps.java b/src/test/java/app/LocalPublicApps.java
index 6990161..4902178 100644
--- a/src/test/java/app/LocalPublicApps.java
+++ b/src/test/java/app/LocalPublicApps.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package app;
 
+import app.component.Core;
 import app.component.Operator;
 
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@
 public final class LocalPublicApps extends Apps {
     public LocalPublicApps() {
         super(Set.of(
+                new Core("http://localhost", 8088, "Local - Core"),
                 new Operator("http://localhost", 8888, "Local - Public Operator", Operator.Type.PUBLIC)
         ));
     }