diff --git a/.ruleset b/.ruleset
index ef6e7d9..467ba2e 100644
--- a/.ruleset
+++ b/.ruleset
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryConstructor"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryFullyQualifiedName"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryImport"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturn"/>
+   <!-- PMD 8.0.0: obsolete rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryLocalBeforeReturn"/ -->
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryModifier"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessaryReturn"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UnnecessarySemicolon"/>
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UseShortArrayInitializer"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/codestyle.xml/UseUnderscoresInNumericLiterals"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/design.xml/AbstractClassWithoutAnyMethod"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/design.xml/AvoidCatchingGenericException"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/design.xml/AvoidDeeplyNestedIfStmts"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/design.xml/AvoidRethrowingException"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/design.xml/AvoidThrowingNewInstanceOfSameException"/>
@@ -231,8 +230,11 @@
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidAssertAsIdentifier"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidBranchingStatementAsLastInLoop"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidCallingFinalize"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidCatchingNPE"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidCatchingThrowable"/>
+   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidCatchingGenericException">
+      <properties>
+         <property name="typesThatShouldNotBeCaught" value="java.lang.RuntimeException,java.lang.Throwable,java.lang.Error" />
+      </properties>
+   </rule>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidDecimalLiteralsInBigDecimalConstructor"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidDuplicateLiterals">
      <properties>
@@ -245,7 +247,6 @@
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidFieldNameMatchingTypeName"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidInstanceofChecksInCatchClause"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidLiteralsInIfCondition"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidLosingExceptionInformation"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidMultipleUnaryOperators"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/AvoidUsingOctalValues"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/BrokenNullCheck"/>
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UnusedNullCheckInEquals"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UseCorrectExceptionLogging"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UseEqualsToCompareStrings"/>
-   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UselessOperationOnImmutable"/>
+   <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UselessPureMethodCall" />
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UseLocaleWithCaseConversions"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/errorprone.xml/UseProperClassLoader"/>
    <rule ref="category/java/multithreading.xml/AvoidSynchronizedAtMethodLevel"/>
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/buildlogic.java-common-conventions.gradle b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/buildlogic.java-common-conventions.gradle
index d293c19..aa32b3d 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/buildlogic.java-common-conventions.gradle
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/buildlogic.java-common-conventions.gradle
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ repositories {
 dependencies {
     constraints {
         // Define dependency versions as constraints
-        implementation 'org.apache.commons:commons-text:1.11.0'
-        implementation 'commons-cli:commons-cli:1.9.0'
-        implementation 'org.bouncycastle:bcpkix-jdk18on:1.81'
+        implementation 'org.apache.commons:commons-text:1.15.0'
+        implementation 'commons-cli:commons-cli:1.11.0'
+        implementation 'org.bouncycastle:bcpkix-jdk18on:1.83'
         implementation 'org.egothor:conflux:[1.0,2.0)'
         implementation 'org.apache.commons:commons-imaging:1.0.0-alpha6'
     }
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ dependencies {
 
 pmd {
 	consoleOutput = true
-	toolVersion = '7.16.0'
+	toolVersion = '7.19.0'
 	sourceSets = [sourceSets.main]
 	ruleSetFiles = files(rootProject.file(".ruleset"))
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/CryptoAlgorithms.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/CryptoAlgorithms.java
index 5812302..68b267f 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/CryptoAlgorithms.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/CryptoAlgorithms.java
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ public final class CryptoAlgorithms {
                     destroyed = true;
                 }
             }
-        } catch (Exception ignored) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception ignored) {
             // swallow and report via audit only if destroyed
         }
         if (destroyed) {
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/bike/BikeKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/bike/BikeKemContext.java
index 075d391..dfc32c4 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/bike/BikeKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/bike/BikeKemContext.java
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public final class BikeKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             BIKEKEMExtractor ex = new BIKEKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("BIKE decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/cmce/CmceKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/cmce/CmceKemContext.java
index 8527489..4180eb8 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/cmce/CmceKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/cmce/CmceKemContext.java
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ public final class CmceKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             CMCEKEMExtractor ex = new CMCEKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("CMCE decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/frodo/FrodoKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/frodo/FrodoKemContext.java
index 796eef6..7a11bf4 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/frodo/FrodoKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/frodo/FrodoKemContext.java
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ public final class FrodoKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             FrodoKEMExtractor ex = new FrodoKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("Frodo decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/hqc/HqcKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/hqc/HqcKemContext.java
index 50610a0..fac759e 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/hqc/HqcKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/hqc/HqcKemContext.java
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ public final class HqcKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             HQCKEMExtractor ex = new HQCKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("HQC decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/kyber/KyberKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/kyber/KyberKemContext.java
index 8e3a6e5..ec3b878 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/kyber/KyberKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/kyber/KyberKemContext.java
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ public final class KyberKemContext implements KemContext {
             MLKEMExtractor gen = new MLKEMExtractor(keyParam);
 
             return gen.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("Kyber decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntru/NtruKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntru/NtruKemContext.java
index addcbdb..4192216 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntru/NtruKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntru/NtruKemContext.java
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ public final class NtruKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             NTRUKEMExtractor ex = new NTRUKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("NTRU decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/NtrulPrimeKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/NtrulPrimeKemContext.java
index 5d3052b..6533b0c 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/NtrulPrimeKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/NtrulPrimeKemContext.java
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ public final class NtrulPrimeKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             NTRULPRimeKEMExtractor ex = new NTRULPRimeKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("NTRULPRime decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/SntruPrimeKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/SntruPrimeKemContext.java
index b490062..d118eb5 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/SntruPrimeKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/ntruprime/SntruPrimeKemContext.java
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ public final class SntruPrimeKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             SNTRUPrimeKEMExtractor ex = new SNTRUPrimeKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("SNTRUPrime decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/saber/SaberKemContext.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/saber/SaberKemContext.java
index 38c8b3e..0fa67bf 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/saber/SaberKemContext.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/alg/saber/SaberKemContext.java
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ public final class SaberKemContext implements KemContext {
                     .createKey(key.getEncoded());
             SABERKEMExtractor ex = new SABERKEMExtractor(keyParam);
             return ex.extractSecret(ciphertext);
-        } catch (Exception e) { // NOPMD
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException("SABER decapsulate failed", e);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/io/SmartContinuousBlockStream.java b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/io/SmartContinuousBlockStream.java
index 9a3d32c..38b14aa 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/io/SmartContinuousBlockStream.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/zeroecho/core/io/SmartContinuousBlockStream.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ final class SmartContinuousBlockStream extends AbstractChunkTransformInputStream
                 out = outBuf = Arrays.copyOf(outBuf, outOff + finBlockSize); // NOPMD
             }
 
-            int written = cipher.doFinal(in, inOff, len, out, outOff); // NOPMD
+            int written = cipher.doFinal(in, inOff, len, out, outOff);
             return written;
 
             // return cipher.doFinal(in, inOff, len, out, outOff);