diff --git a/backend/build.gradle b/backend/build.gradle
index f41778d28..44b1657e7 100644
--- a/backend/build.gradle
+++ b/backend/build.gradle
@@ -15,12 +15,11 @@ sourceCompatibility = 11
 targetCompatibility = 11
 
 repositories {
-    jcenter()
+    mavenCentral()
     maven {
         url 'https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public'
         artifactUrls = ['https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/repositories/thirdparty-snapshots']
     }
-    mavenLocal()
 }
 
 configurations.all {
@@ -139,8 +138,8 @@ dependencies {
         compile "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-${it}"
     }
     // To override older version with security issue - https://www.lunasec.io/docs/blog/log4j-zero-day/
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-to-slf4j:2.15.0'
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:2.15.0'
+    implementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-to-slf4j:${project.'log4j.version'}"
+    implementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:${project.'log4j.version'}"
 
     // TODO: figure out what this should really be
     runtimeOnly 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-tomcat'
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ dependencies {
     compile group: 'org.jadira.usertype', name: 'usertype.core', version: '6.0.1.GA'
 
     //For easy data mocking capabilities
-    compile 'net.andreinc.mockneat:mockneat:0.1.4'
+    compile 'net.andreinc:mockneat:0.4.7'
 
     compile 'org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:3.0.7'
 
@@ -365,4 +364,4 @@ dockerRun {
     daemonize true
     command '--spring.profiles.include=very-dangerous,dev', '--shibui.default-password={noop}password'
     clean true
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/beacon/core/build.gradle b/beacon/core/build.gradle
index c80df0931..8e6e9c710 100644
--- a/beacon/core/build.gradle
+++ b/beacon/core/build.gradle
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ sourceCompatibility = 11
 targetCompatibility = 11
 
 repositories {
-    jcenter()
+    mavenCentral()
 }
 
 dependencyManagement {
diff --git a/beacon/spring/build.gradle b/beacon/spring/build.gradle
index 61ab07be5..ef18152d0 100644
--- a/beacon/spring/build.gradle
+++ b/beacon/spring/build.gradle
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ sourceCompatibility = 11
 targetCompatibility = 11
 
 repositories {
-    jcenter()
+    mavenCentral()
 }
 
 jar {
@@ -26,4 +26,4 @@ dependencyManagement {
 dependencies {
     compile project(':beacon:core')
     compile "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter"
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index ee0af8876..282812295 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -29,3 +29,14 @@ release {
 
 afterReleaseBuild.dependsOn project.getTasksByName('githubRelease', false)
 afterReleaseBuild.dependsOn project.getTasksByName('dockerTagsPush', true)
+
+// force log4j version
+allprojects {
+    configurations.all {
+        resolutionStrategy.eachDependency { d ->
+            if (d.requested.group == 'org.apache.logging.log4j') {
+                d.useVersion project.'log4j.version'
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 79bee945d..0f49c87c1 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -19,3 +19,5 @@ i2.github.owner=TIER
 i2.github.repo=shib-idp-ui
 i2.github.apiEndpoint=https://github.internet2.edu/api/v3
 
+log4j.version=2.16.0
+
diff --git a/pac4j-module/build.gradle b/pac4j-module/build.gradle
index 8803d22c9..1415f81e9 100644
--- a/pac4j-module/build.gradle
+++ b/pac4j-module/build.gradle
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ sourceCompatibility = 11
 targetCompatibility = 11
 
 repositories {
-    jcenter()
+    mavenCentral()
     maven {
         url 'https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/groups/public'
         artifactUrls = ['https://build.shibboleth.net/nexus/content/repositories/thirdparty-snapshots']
@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@ dependencies {
     testCompile "org.spockframework:spock-spring:1.3-groovy-2.5"
 
     annotationProcessor "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-configuration-processor"
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}