diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index dde435e41..a7376069d 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ configurations.all {
         force("org.apache.kafka:kafka-streams:" + kafkaVersion)
         force("org.apache.kafka:kafka-server-common:" + kafkaVersion)
         force("org.apache.kafka:kafka_" + kafkaScalaVersion + ":" + kafkaVersion)
-        force("com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java:3.25.2")
+        force("com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java:4.28.1")
         force("com.fasterxml.jackson:jackson-bom:" + jacksonVersion)
         force("com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core:" + jacksonVersion)
         force("com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:" + jacksonVersion)
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ dependencies {
     implementation group: 'com.fasterxml.jackson.module', name: 'jackson-module-scala_2.13', version: '2.17.2'
 
     // protobuf
-    implementation group: "com.google.protobuf", name: "protobuf-java", version: '4.27.0'
+    implementation group: "com.google.protobuf", name: "protobuf-java", version: '4.28.1'
     implementation group: "com.google.protobuf", name: "protobuf-java-util", version: '4.27.1'
 
     //cenk is testing