diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
index 321f671b..7dc05dee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ jobs:
 
     # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
     - name: Initialize CodeQL
-      uses: github/codeql-action/init@5595ccaf912efad79be6eef63a5619ff05969be3 # v4.37.6
+      uses: github/codeql-action/init@6f2ac81f5cd81fe351a197ba0b00d91d03cd2aee # v4.39.0
       with:
         languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
         # If you wish to specify custom queries, you can do so here or in a config file.
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
     # 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@5595ccaf912efad79be6eef63a5619ff05969be3 # v4.37.6
+      uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@6f2ac81f5cd81fe351a197ba0b00d91d03cd2aee # v4.39.0
 
     # Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
     # See https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#jobsjob_idstepsrun
@@ -69,4 +69,4 @@ jobs:
     #   ./location_of_script_within_repo/buildscript.sh
 
     - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
-      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@5595ccaf912efad79be6eef63a5619ff05969be3 # v4.37.6
+      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@6f2ac81f5cd81fe351a197ba0b00d91d03cd2aee # v4.39.0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
index 3c449acf..85a605c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
@@ -24,19 +24,19 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       - name: Set up openJDK version
-        uses: actions/setup-java@b6effb05e454b25005698d916606bdc6ffcbf961 # v5.7.0
+        uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
         with:
           java-version: ${{ matrix.jdk }}
           distribution: "zulu"
       - name: Install Dependencies
         run: npm install -g ro-crate-html-js
       - name: Setup Gradle
-        uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@9c971963bec38e04b3d30dcc455b5382be2fdbfb # v6.3.0
+        uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@3f5f9adaf7d9fecd50b5935e54106014257a94e6 # v6.4.0
       - name: Build and Test with Gradle
         run: ./gradlew -Dprofile=release build
       - name: Upload (test) reports as artifact on GitHub on manual runs
         if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@cf430e030ddbb5b0abf93d22962f4752f3646cd9 # v7.0.2
         with:
           name: test-report ${{ matrix.os }} JDK ${{ matrix.jdk }}
           path: build/reports
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       - name: Set up OpenJDK version ...
-        uses: actions/setup-java@b6effb05e454b25005698d916606bdc6ffcbf961 # v5.7.0
+        uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
         with:
           distribution: "zulu"
           java-version: ${{ env.jdkversion }}
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build with Gradle (JDK ${{ env.jdkversion }})
         run: ./gradlew clean check jacocoTestReport
       - name: Codecov
-        uses: codecov/codecov-action@fb8b3582c8e4def4969c97caa2f19720cb33a72f # v7
+        uses: codecov/codecov-action@303a32d7a59b442fa8d48b6a1cc6825c09c847a5 # v7.1.1
         with:
           files: ./build/reports/jacoco/test/jacocoTestReport.xml #optional
       - name: Compile Javadoc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publishRelease.yml b/.github/workflows/publishRelease.yml
index 2bf14be3..b0768c07 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publishRelease.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publishRelease.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       - name: Set up Java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@b6effb05e454b25005698d916606bdc6ffcbf961 # v5.7.0
+        uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
         with:
           java-version: 21
           distribution: 'zulu' # openjdk
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index d2329a9a..708e8fe9 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ plugins {
 
     // Instructions: https://github.com/researchgate/gradle-release
     // Available versions: https://plugins.gradle.org/plugin/net.researchgate.release
-    id 'net.researchgate.release' version '3.1.0'
+    id 'net.researchgate.release' version '3.2.0'
     id "maven-publish"
     // Publishing of JAR to Nexus instances (e.g., OSSRH)
     // https://github.com/gradle-nexus/publish-plugin
     id "io.github.gradle-nexus.publish-plugin" version "2.0.0"
-    id "io.freefair.maven-publish-java" version "9.5.0"
+    id "io.freefair.maven-publish-java" version "9.8.2"
 }
 
 group = 'edu.kit.datamanager'
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ repositories {
 }
 
 ext {
-    jacksonVersion  = '2.22.3'
+    jacksonVersion  = '2.22.4'
 }
 
 dependencies {
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ dependencies {
     // read from and write to zip files
     implementation group: 'net.lingala.zip4j', name: 'zip4j', version: '2.11.6'
     // compare json documents in tests
-    implementation 'com.github.fslev:json-compare:8.1'
+    implementation 'com.github.fslev:json-compare:8.4'
     // url validator
     implementation group: 'commons-validator', name: 'commons-validator', version: '1.11.0'
     // logging
-    implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-jdk14', version: '2.0.18'
+    implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-jdk14', version: '2.0.20'
     // JSON-LD, Zenodo mapping
     implementation group: 'com.apicatalog', name: 'titanium-json-ld', version: '1.7.0'
     // metadata validation, profiles based on JSON schema