diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index fdc58d1..d9126d1 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ updates:
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      # maven core artifacts are provided by the running maven, do not update to prevent consuming something unavailable
+      - dependency-name: "org.apache.maven:*"
   - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
diff --git a/access-modifier-checker/pom.xml b/access-modifier-checker/pom.xml
index 28192f5..5182079 100644
--- a/access-modifier-checker/pom.xml
+++ b/access-modifier-checker/pom.xml
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@
   <name>Custom Access Modifier Checker</name>
 
   <properties>
-    <maven.version>3.9.0</maven.version>
+    <maven.version>3.8.1</maven.version>
   </properties>
 
+  <prerequisites>
+      <maven>${maven.version}</maven>
+  </prerequisites>
+
   <dependencies>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -74,7 +78,7 @@
               <rules>
                 <requireUpperBoundDeps>
                   <excludes combine.children="append">
-                    <exclude>org.apache.commons:commons-lang3</exclude>
+                    <exclude>org.slf4j:slf4j-api</exclude>
                   </excludes>
                 </requireUpperBoundDeps>
               </rules>