diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 210daa8d642..b4190842414 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.5.6</version>
+    <version>4.0.8</version>
   </parent>
 
   <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@
     <!-- Use UTF-8 Encoding -->
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
-    <thymeleaf.version>3.1.2.RELEASE</thymeleaf.version>
     <waittimeForServerStart>60</waittimeForServerStart>
     <webdriver.version>6.3.2</webdriver.version>
     <webgoat.context>/WebGoat</webgoat.context>
@@ -105,13 +104,20 @@
     <webwolf.port>9090</webwolf.port>
     <wiremock.version>3.13.1</wiremock.version>
     <xml-resolver.version>1.2</xml-resolver.version>
-    <xstream.version>1.4.5</xstream.version>
+    <xstream.version>1.4.20</xstream.version>
     <!-- do not update necessary for lesson -->
     <zxcvbn.version>1.9.0</zxcvbn.version>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencyManagement>
     <dependencies>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>tools.jackson</groupId>
+        <artifactId>jackson-bom</artifactId>
+        <version>3.1.7</version>
+        <type>pom</type>
+        <scope>import</scope>
+      </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
         <artifactId>commons-exec</artifactId>
@@ -224,6 +230,11 @@
         <artifactId>playwright</artifactId>
         <version>1.55.0</version>
       </dependency>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>io.rest-assured</groupId>
+        <artifactId>rest-assured</artifactId>
+        <version>5.5.6</version>
+      </dependency>
     </dependencies>
   </dependencyManagement>
   <dependencies>