diff --git a/cmd/cli/kubectl-kyverno/test/test_command.go b/cmd/cli/kubectl-kyverno/test/test_command.go
index 100deb8f39..54fe95c88e 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/kubectl-kyverno/test/test_command.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/kubectl-kyverno/test/test_command.go
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/engine/response"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/openapi"
 	policy2 "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/policy"
-	util "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/lensesio/tableprinter"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
@@ -566,9 +566,9 @@ func buildPolicyResults(engineResponses []*response.EngineResponse, testResults
 						if resource == resourceName {
 							var resultsKey string
 							resultsKey = GetResultKeyAccordingToTestResults(userDefinedPolicyNamespace, test.Policy, test.Rule, test.Namespace, test.Kind, resource)
-							if !util.ContainsString(rules, test.Rule) {
-								if !util.ContainsString(rules, "autogen-"+test.Rule) {
-									if !util.ContainsString(rules, "autogen-cronjob-"+test.Rule) {
+							if !slices.Contains(rules, test.Rule) {
+								if !slices.Contains(rules, "autogen-"+test.Rule) {
+									if !slices.Contains(rules, "autogen-cronjob-"+test.Rule) {
 										result.Result = policyreportv1alpha2.StatusSkip
 									} else {
 										testResults[i].AutoGeneratedRule = "autogen-cronjob"
@@ -599,9 +599,9 @@ func buildPolicyResults(engineResponses []*response.EngineResponse, testResults
 				if test.Policy == policyName && test.Resource == resourceName {
 					var resultsKey string
 					resultsKey = GetResultKeyAccordingToTestResults(userDefinedPolicyNamespace, test.Policy, test.Rule, test.Namespace, test.Kind, test.Resource)
-					if !util.ContainsString(rules, test.Rule) {
-						if !util.ContainsString(rules, "autogen-"+test.Rule) {
-							if !util.ContainsString(rules, "autogen-cronjob-"+test.Rule) {
+					if !slices.Contains(rules, test.Rule) {
+						if !slices.Contains(rules, "autogen-"+test.Rule) {
+							if !slices.Contains(rules, "autogen-cronjob-"+test.Rule) {
 								result.Result = policyreportv1alpha2.StatusSkip
 							} else {
 								testResults[i].AutoGeneratedRule = "autogen-cronjob"
diff --git a/pkg/autogen/autogen.go b/pkg/autogen/autogen.go
index 0758bbdccf..dc4ce924b6 100644
--- a/pkg/autogen/autogen.go
+++ b/pkg/autogen/autogen.go
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	kyvernov1 "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/api/kyverno/v1"
-	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	jsonutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/json"
 	kubeutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/kube"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 )
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func GetControllers(meta *metav1.ObjectMeta, spec *kyvernov1.Spec) ([]string, []
 	// filter supported controllers, keeping only those that have been requested
 	var activated []string
 	for _, controller := range supported {
-		if utils.ContainsString(requested, controller) {
+		if slices.Contains(requested, controller) {
 			activated = append(activated, controller)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/background/generate/generate.go b/pkg/background/generate/generate.go
index 32eef8f0a4..bb720ef2fc 100644
--- a/pkg/background/generate/generate.go
+++ b/pkg/background/generate/generate.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/event"
 	kyvernoutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	kubeutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/kube"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ func (c *GenerateController) ApplyGeneratePolicy(log logr.Logger, policyContext
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if !kyvernoutils.ContainsString(applicableRules, rule.Name) {
+		if !slices.Contains(applicableRules, rule.Name) {
 			continue
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/report/resource/controller.go b/pkg/controllers/report/resource/controller.go
index 30ab7d64a7..c35480a0a9 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/report/resource/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/report/resource/controller.go
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dclient"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/controllers"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/controllers/report/utils"
-	pkgutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	controllerutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/controller"
 	kubeutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/kube"
 	reportutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/report"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (c *controller) updateDynamicWatchers(ctx context.Context) error {
 			if !reportutils.IsGvkSupported(gvk) {
 				logger.Info("kind is not supported", "gvk", gvk)
 			} else {
-				if pkgutils.ContainsString(apiResource.Verbs, "list") && pkgutils.ContainsString(apiResource.Verbs, "watch") {
+				if slices.Contains(apiResource.Verbs, "list") && slices.Contains(apiResource.Verbs, "watch") {
 					gvrs[gvk] = gvr
 				} else {
 					logger.Info("list/watch not supported for kind", "kind", kind)
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/webhook/utils.go b/pkg/controllers/webhook/utils.go
index c92ab735e9..adb804459f 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/webhook/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/webhook/utils.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	kyvernov1 "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/api/kyverno/v1"
-	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	admissionregistrationv1 "k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ func hasWildcard(policies ...kyvernov1.PolicyInterface) bool {
 	for _, policy := range policies {
 		spec := policy.GetSpec()
 		for _, rule := range spec.Rules {
-			if kinds := rule.MatchResources.GetKinds(); utils.ContainsString(kinds, "*") {
+			if kinds := rule.MatchResources.GetKinds(); slices.Contains(kinds, "*") {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/engine/utils.go b/pkg/engine/utils.go
index 67d74ff0b7..d9f99b577d 100644
--- a/pkg/engine/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/engine/utils.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	wildcard "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/wildcard"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"golang.org/x/text/cases"
 	"golang.org/x/text/language"
 	authenticationv1 "k8s.io/api/authentication/v1"
@@ -270,7 +271,7 @@ func matchSubjects(ruleSubjects []rbacv1.Subject, userInfo authenticationv1.User
 					return true
 				}
 			case "User", "Group":
-				if utils.ContainsString(userGroups, subject.Name) {
+				if slices.Contains(userGroups, subject.Name) {
 					return true
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/openapi/utils.go b/pkg/openapi/utils.go
index e9f63e100b..489cec1183 100644
--- a/pkg/openapi/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/openapi/utils.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 	openapiv2 "github.com/google/gnostic/openapiv2"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/data"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/logging"
-	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 )
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func setPreferredVersions(kindToAPIVersions map[string]apiVersions, preferredAPI
 				preferredGV := preferredAPIResourcesList.GroupVersion
 				preferredGVK := preferredGV + "/" + resource.Kind
 
-				if utils.ContainsString(versions.gvks, preferredGVK) {
+				if slices.Contains(versions.gvks, preferredGVK) {
 					v := kindToAPIVersions[kind]
 
 					// if a Kind belongs to multiple groups, the first group/version
diff --git a/pkg/policy/actions.go b/pkg/policy/actions.go
index 0f07c474e7..71c2d3a645 100644
--- a/pkg/policy/actions.go
+++ b/pkg/policy/actions.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/policy/generate"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/policy/mutate"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/policy/validate"
-	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
 // Validation provides methods to validate a rule
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func validateActions(idx int, rule *kyvernov1.Rule, client dclient.Interface, mo
 			}
 		}
 
-		if utils.ContainsString(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, rule.Generation.Kind) {
+		if slices.Contains(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, rule.Generation.Kind) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("generation kind and match resource kind should not be the same")
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/policy/policy_controller.go b/pkg/policy/policy_controller.go
index 4cab023ea4..510ce3619b 100644
--- a/pkg/policy/policy_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/policy/policy_controller.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/event"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/metrics"
-	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	kubeutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/kube"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ func missingAutoGenRules(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, log logr.Logger) bool
 			ruleCount = 2
 		}
 		if len(res) > 1 {
-			if utils.ContainsString(res, "CronJob") {
+			if slices.Contains(res, "CronJob") {
 				ruleCount = 3
 			} else {
 				ruleCount = 2
diff --git a/pkg/policy/validate.go b/pkg/policy/validate.go
index a68c4ffe81..5dcb98c28b 100644
--- a/pkg/policy/validate.go
+++ b/pkg/policy/validate.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils"
 	kubeutils "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/utils/kube"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ func Validate(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, client dclient.Interface, mock b
 			if wildcardErr != nil {
 				return warnings, wildcardErr
 			}
-			if !utils.ContainsString(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
+			if !slices.Contains(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
 				err := validateKinds(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, mock, client, policy)
 				if err != nil {
 					return warnings, errors.Wrapf(err, "the kind defined in the any match resource is invalid")
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ func Validate(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, client dclient.Interface, mock b
 			if wildcardErr != nil {
 				return warnings, wildcardErr
 			}
-			if !utils.ContainsString(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
+			if !slices.Contains(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
 				err := validateKinds(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, mock, client, policy)
 				if err != nil {
 					return warnings, errors.Wrapf(err, "the kind defined in the all match resource is invalid")
@@ -301,7 +302,7 @@ func Validate(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, client dclient.Interface, mock b
 			if wildcardErr != nil {
 				return warnings, wildcardErr
 			}
-			if !utils.ContainsString(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
+			if !slices.Contains(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
 				err := validateKinds(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, mock, client, policy)
 				if err != nil {
 					return warnings, errors.Wrapf(err, "the kind defined in the any exclude resource is invalid")
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ func Validate(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, client dclient.Interface, mock b
 			if wildcardErr != nil {
 				return warnings, wildcardErr
 			}
-			if !utils.ContainsString(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
+			if !slices.Contains(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, "*") {
 				err := validateKinds(value.ResourceDescription.Kinds, mock, client, policy)
 				if err != nil {
 					return warnings, errors.Wrapf(err, "the kind defined in the all exclude resource is invalid")
@@ -321,7 +322,7 @@ func Validate(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface, client dclient.Interface, mock b
 			}
 		}
 
-		if !utils.ContainsString(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, "*") {
+		if !slices.Contains(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, "*") {
 			err := validateKinds(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, mock, client, policy)
 			if err != nil {
 				return warnings, errors.Wrapf(err, "match resource kind is invalid")
@@ -1139,7 +1140,7 @@ func jsonPatchOnPod(rule kyvernov1.Rule) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if utils.ContainsString(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, "Pod") && rule.Mutation.PatchesJSON6902 != "" {
+	if slices.Contains(rule.MatchResources.Kinds, "Pod") && rule.Mutation.PatchesJSON6902 != "" {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -1163,13 +1164,13 @@ func podControllerAutoGenExclusion(policy kyvernov1.PolicyInterface) bool {
 
 // validateWildcard check for an Match/Exclude block contains "*"
 func validateWildcard(kinds []string, spec *kyvernov1.Spec, rule kyvernov1.Rule) error {
-	if utils.ContainsString(kinds, "*") && spec.BackgroundProcessingEnabled() {
+	if slices.Contains(kinds, "*") && spec.BackgroundProcessingEnabled() {
 		return fmt.Errorf("wildcard policy not allowed in background mode. Set spec.background=false to disable background mode for this policy rule ")
 	}
-	if utils.ContainsString(kinds, "*") && len(kinds) > 1 {
+	if slices.Contains(kinds, "*") && len(kinds) > 1 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("wildard policy can not deal more than one kind")
 	}
-	if utils.ContainsString(kinds, "*") {
+	if slices.Contains(kinds, "*") {
 		if rule.HasGenerate() || rule.HasVerifyImages() || rule.Validation.ForEachValidation != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("wildcard policy does not support rule type")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/utils/util.go b/pkg/utils/util.go
index 7b5955da51..c238b2cc62 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/util.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/util.go
@@ -86,11 +86,6 @@ func ContainsNamepace(patterns []string, ns string) bool {
 	return contains(patterns, ns, comparePatterns)
 }
 
-// ContainsString checks if the string is contained in the list
-func ContainsString(list []string, element string) bool {
-	return contains(list, element, compareString)
-}
-
 func ContainsWildcardPatterns(patterns []string, key string) bool {
 	return contains(patterns, key, comparePatterns)
 }
@@ -99,10 +94,6 @@ func comparePatterns(pattern, ns string) bool {
 	return wildcard.Match(pattern, ns)
 }
 
-func compareString(str, name string) bool {
-	return str == name
-}
-
 // CRDsInstalled checks if the Kyverno CRDs are installed or not
 func CRDsInstalled(discovery dclient.IDiscovery) bool {
 	kyvernoCRDs := []string{"ClusterPolicy", "ClusterPolicyReport", "PolicyReport", "AdmissionReport", "BackgroundScanReport", "ClusterAdmissionReport", "ClusterBackgroundScanReport"}
@@ -328,13 +319,11 @@ func SliceContains(slice []string, values ...string) bool {
 	for _, sliceElement := range slice {
 		sliceElementsMap[sliceElement] = true
 	}
-
 	for _, value := range values {
 		if sliceElementsMap[value] {
 			return true
 		}
 	}
-
 	return false
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/utils/util_test.go b/pkg/utils/util_test.go
index 2d09de4f82..06bf2e84f3 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/util_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/util_test.go
@@ -36,39 +36,6 @@ func Test_OriginalSliceMustNotBeChanged(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, originalSlice[0], 3711)
 }
 
-func Test_allEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	var list []string
-	var element string
-	res := ContainsString(list, element)
-	assert.Assert(t, res == false)
-}
-
-func Test_emptyList(t *testing.T) {
-	var list []string
-	element := "foo"
-	res := ContainsString(list, element)
-	assert.Assert(t, res == false)
-}
-
-func Test_emptyElement(t *testing.T) {
-	list := []string{"foo", "bar"}
-	var element string
-	res := ContainsString(list, element)
-	assert.Assert(t, res == false)
-}
-
-func Test_emptyElementInList(t *testing.T) {
-	list := []string{"foo", "bar", ""}
-	var element string
-	res := ContainsString(list, element)
-	assert.Assert(t, res == true)
-
-	list = []string{"foo", "bar", "bar"}
-	element = "bar"
-	res = ContainsString(list, element)
-	assert.Assert(t, res == true)
-}
-
 func Test_containsNs(t *testing.T) {
 	var patterns []string
 	var res bool