diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 7b31302..d4ff3fc 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 version: 2
+# A release is proposed only once it is a week old: a compromised or broken release is usually pulled
+# within days. The cooldown holds back version updates only; security updates still come at once.
 updates:
   - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
     target-branch: "main"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
 
   - package-ecosystem: "maven"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
     target-branch: "main"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 7a054e6..6fbdb12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Install JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
index 6599573..c6c09c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
           java-version: '21'
 
       - name: Initialize CodeQL
-        uses: github/codeql-action/init@1c5b675653bb5c22dbe9b12b556ec555138e09fd # v4
+        uses: github/codeql-action/init@1c5b675653bb5c22dbe9b12b556ec555138e09fd # v4.38.1
         with:
           languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
           build-mode: ${{ matrix.build-mode }}
@@ -49,6 +51,6 @@ jobs:
         run: mvn --no-transfer-progress -B clean test-compile
 
       - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
-        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@1c5b675653bb5c22dbe9b12b556ec555138e09fd # v4
+        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@1c5b675653bb5c22dbe9b12b556ec555138e09fd # v4.38.1
         with:
           category: "/language:${{matrix.language}}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
index 7aab910..bca4dec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   dependabot:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
+    # Who opened the pull request, not who triggered this run: github.actor is whoever caused the event,
+    # and a run that Dependabot triggers on someone else's pull request would pass an actor check.
+    if: github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]'
     steps:
       - name: Fetch Dependabot metadata
         id: metadata
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependency-submission.yml b/.github/workflows/dependency-submission.yml
index 4b4c6bc..73f2e85 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependency-submission.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependency-submission.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3410113..4e213e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Install JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Install JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sha-pinning-check.yml b/.github/workflows/sha-pinning-check.yml
index 16cfdd7..181c6e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sha-pinning-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sha-pinning-check.yml
@@ -6,10 +6,15 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: [ 'main' ]
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   pin-check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - uses: zgosalvez/github-actions-ensure-sha-pinned-actions@62574f011e0d1967d555a862bd28a7abba8684fe # v5.0.9
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-pr-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/update-pr-branch.yml
index d0ef7a7..eff6c9c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-pr-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-pr-branch.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ on:
     # Run every hour to catch stuck PRs
     - cron: '0 * * * *'
 
+# The action reads and updates the pull requests with BOT_PAT alone, so the workflow's own token needs
+# no permissions.
+permissions: {}
+
 jobs:
   update:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest