diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
index 054c858fbf3..be5280d0a21 100644
--- a/.go-version
+++ b/.go-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.22.5
\ No newline at end of file
+1.23rc2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/build-image/cross/VERSION b/build/build-image/cross/VERSION
index 58c49555cb7..8a7f1f76aba 100644
--- a/build/build-image/cross/VERSION
+++ b/build/build-image/cross/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v1.31.0-go1.22.5-bullseye.0
+v1.31.0-go1.23rc2-bullseye.0
diff --git a/build/common.sh b/build/common.sh
index 94b5492f296..78fdb8fcc60 100755
--- a/build/common.sh
+++ b/build/common.sh
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ readonly KUBE_RSYNC_PORT="${KUBE_RSYNC_PORT:-}"
 readonly KUBE_CONTAINER_RSYNC_PORT=8730
 
 # These are the default versions (image tags) for their respective base images.
-readonly __default_distroless_iptables_version=v0.5.6
-readonly __default_go_runner_version=v2.3.1-go1.22.5-bookworm.0
+readonly __default_distroless_iptables_version=v0.6.1
+readonly __default_go_runner_version=v2.3.1-go1.23rc2-bookworm.0
 readonly __default_setcap_version=bookworm-v1.0.3
 
 # These are the base images for the Docker-wrapped binaries.
diff --git a/build/dependencies.yaml b/build/dependencies.yaml
index 83a1bd6eb85..1644caadc6c 100644
--- a/build/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/build/dependencies.yaml
@@ -116,12 +116,13 @@ dependencies:
 
   # Golang
   - name: "golang: upstream version"
-    version: 1.22.5
+    version: 1.23rc2
     refPaths:
     - path: .go-version
     - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
-    - path: staging/publishing/rules.yaml
-      match: 'default-go-version\: \d+.\d+(alpha|beta|rc)?\.?(\d+)?'
+    # TODO: remove this when whe have the go1.23 released and not the rc.
+    # - path: staging/publishing/rules.yaml
+    #   match: 'default-go-version\: \d+.\d+(alpha|beta|rc)?\.?(\d+)?'
     - path: test/images/Makefile
       match: GOLANG_VERSION=\d+.\d+(alpha|beta|rc)?\.?\d+
 
@@ -130,15 +131,17 @@ dependencies:
   #
   # This entry is a stub of the major version to allow dependency checks to
   # pass when building Kubernetes using a pre-release of Golang.
-  - name: "golang: 1.<major>"
-    version: 1.22
-    refPaths:
-    - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
-    - path: hack/lib/golang.sh
-      match: minimum_go_version=go([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)
+
+  # TODO: remove this when whe have the go1.23 released and not the rc.
+  # - name: "golang: 1.<major>"
+  #   version: 1.22
+  #   refPaths:
+  #   - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
+  #   - path: hack/lib/golang.sh
+  #     match: minimum_go_version=go([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)
 
   - name: "registry.k8s.io/kube-cross: dependents"
-    version: v1.31.0-go1.22.5-bullseye.0
+    version: v1.31.0-go1.23rc2-bullseye.0
     refPaths:
     - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
 
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ dependencies:
       match: registry\.k8s\.io\/build-image\/debian-base:[a-zA-Z]+\-v((([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)(?:-([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?)(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?)
 
   - name: "registry.k8s.io/distroless-iptables: dependents"
-    version: v0.5.6
+    version: v0.6.1
     refPaths:
     - path: build/common.sh
       match: __default_distroless_iptables_version=
@@ -184,7 +187,7 @@ dependencies:
       match: configs\[DistrolessIptables\] = Config{list\.BuildImageRegistry, "distroless-iptables", "v([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)"}
 
   - name: "registry.k8s.io/go-runner: dependents"
-    version: v2.3.1-go1.22.5-bookworm.0
+    version: v2.3.1-go1.23rc2-bookworm.0
     refPaths:
     - path: build/common.sh
       match: __default_go_runner_version=
diff --git a/hack/lib/golang.sh b/hack/lib/golang.sh
index 1a65f82154b..3ca29d25b84 100755
--- a/hack/lib/golang.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/golang.sh
@@ -538,6 +538,7 @@ EOF
   local go_version
   IFS=" " read -ra go_version <<< "$(GOFLAGS='' go version)"
   local minimum_go_version
+  # TODO: Update to go1.23 as soon we are ready to merge this
   minimum_go_version=go1.22
   if [[ "${minimum_go_version}" != $(echo -e "${minimum_go_version}\n${go_version[2]}" | sort -s -t. -k 1,1 -k 2,2n -k 3,3n | head -n1) && "${go_version[2]}" != "devel" ]]; then
     kube::log::usage_from_stdin <<EOF
diff --git a/test/images/Makefile b/test/images/Makefile
index 56bbb67fd63..19c210365e5 100644
--- a/test/images/Makefile
+++ b/test/images/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ REGISTRY ?= registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images
 GOARM ?= 7
 DOCKER_CERT_BASE_PATH ?=
 QEMUVERSION=v5.1.0-2
-GOLANG_VERSION=1.22.5
+GOLANG_VERSION=1.23rc2
 export
 
 ifndef WHAT
diff --git a/test/utils/image/manifest.go b/test/utils/image/manifest.go
index cbe554a5043..fdbc41b2218 100644
--- a/test/utils/image/manifest.go
+++ b/test/utils/image/manifest.go
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func initImageConfigs(list RegistryList) (map[ImageID]Config, map[ImageID]Config
 	configs[BusyBox] = Config{list.PromoterE2eRegistry, "busybox", "1.36.1-1"}
 	configs[CudaVectorAdd] = Config{list.PromoterE2eRegistry, "cuda-vector-add", "1.0"}
 	configs[CudaVectorAdd2] = Config{list.PromoterE2eRegistry, "cuda-vector-add", "2.3"}
-	configs[DistrolessIptables] = Config{list.BuildImageRegistry, "distroless-iptables", "v0.5.6"}
+	configs[DistrolessIptables] = Config{list.BuildImageRegistry, "distroless-iptables", "v0.6.1"}
 	configs[Etcd] = Config{list.GcEtcdRegistry, "etcd", "3.5.14-0"}
 	configs[Httpd] = Config{list.PromoterE2eRegistry, "httpd", "2.4.38-4"}
 	configs[HttpdNew] = Config{list.PromoterE2eRegistry, "httpd", "2.4.39-4"}