diff --git a/.github/workflows/cron-job-its.yml b/.github/workflows/cron-job-its.yml
index 0e5717ea0df3..2e9575a2f4a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cron-job-its.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cron-job-its.yml
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ jobs:
   security_vulnerabilities:
     if: github.repository == 'apache/druid'
     name: security vulnerabilities
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      NIST_NVD_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.NIST_NVD_API_KEY }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout branch
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 70e2d89a2359..666e5765248e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -1823,8 +1823,9 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.owasp</groupId>
                 <artifactId>dependency-check-maven</artifactId>
-                <version>7.4.4</version>
+                <version>12.1.3</version>
                 <configuration>
+                    <nvdApiKeyEnvironmentVariable>NIST_NVD_API_KEY</nvdApiKeyEnvironmentVariable>
                     <failBuildOnCVSS>7</failBuildOnCVSS>
                     <skipProvidedScope>true</skipProvidedScope>
                     <skipSystemScope>true</skipSystemScope>  <!-- avoid error when processing jdk.tools:jdk.tools:jar:1.8:system -->