diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-test-env/action.yaml b/.github/actions/setup-test-env/action.yaml
index 38f2d84630..5f2dcfb60a 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-test-env/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-test-env/action.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: Create kind cluster, deploy kyverno, and wait pods are ready.
 inputs:
   version:
     description: kubernetes version
-    default: v1.26.0
+    default: v1.29.1
   free-disk-space:
     description: free disk space
     default: 'false'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/conformance.yaml b/.github/workflows/conformance.yaml
index 38adf6373a..30aa825dff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conformance.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conformance.yaml
@@ -86,13 +86,13 @@ jobs:
               - standard
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - ^autogen$
           - ^background-only$
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ jobs:
               - generate-validating-admission-policy
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
         tests:
           - generate-validating-admission-policy
     needs: prepare-images
@@ -249,9 +249,9 @@ jobs:
               - generate-validating-admission-policy
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - generate-validating-admission-policy
           - webhook-configurations
@@ -321,9 +321,9 @@ jobs:
               - validating-admission-policy-reports
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
         tests:
           - validating-admission-policy-reports
     needs: prepare-images
@@ -392,9 +392,9 @@ jobs:
               - validating-admission-policy-reports
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - validating-admission-policy-reports
     needs: prepare-images
@@ -463,13 +463,13 @@ jobs:
               - force-failure-policy-ignore
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - force-failure-policy-ignore
           - rbac
@@ -539,13 +539,13 @@ jobs:
               - ttl
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - ttl
     needs: prepare-images
@@ -708,13 +708,13 @@ jobs:
               - default
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - rbac
     needs: prepare-images
@@ -780,13 +780,13 @@ jobs:
               - standard
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.26
-            version: v1.26.6
+            version: v1.26.13
           - name: v1.27
-            version: v1.27.3
+            version: v1.27.10
           - name: v1.28
-            version: v1.28.0
+            version: v1.28.6
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         tests:
           - ^argo$
           - ^aws$
diff --git a/.github/workflows/load-testing.yml b/.github/workflows/load-testing.yml
index f9b223fa65..cac0829acb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/load-testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/load-testing.yml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         k8s-version:
           - name: v1.29
-            version: v1.29.0
+            version: v1.29.1
         kyverno-config:
           - name: default
             values:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 62fcd69caa..00a77c19a2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 GIT_SHA              := $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
 REGISTRY             ?= ghcr.io
 REPO                 ?= kyverno
-KIND_IMAGE           ?= kindest/node:v1.28.0
+KIND_IMAGE           ?= kindest/node:v1.29.1
 KIND_NAME            ?= kind
 KIND_CONFIG          ?= default
 GOOS                 ?= $(shell go env GOOS)
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ USE_CONFIG           ?= standard
 
 TOOLS_DIR                          ?= $(PWD)/.tools
 KIND                               ?= $(TOOLS_DIR)/kind
-KIND_VERSION                       ?= v0.20.0
+KIND_VERSION                       ?= v0.21.0
 CONTROLLER_GEN                     ?= $(TOOLS_DIR)/controller-gen
 CONTROLLER_GEN_VERSION             ?= v0.12.0
 CLIENT_GEN                         ?= $(TOOLS_DIR)/client-gen