diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
index 996d243921e..be5280d0a21 100644
--- a/.go-version
+++ b/.go-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.23rc1
\ 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 69b36199c5a..8a7f1f76aba 100644
--- a/build/build-image/cross/VERSION
+++ b/build/build-image/cross/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v1.31.0-go1.23rc1-bullseye.0
+v1.31.0-go1.23rc2-bullseye.0
diff --git a/build/common.sh b/build/common.sh
index c43815a3ac8..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=v0.6.0
-readonly __default_go_runner_version=v2.3.1-go1.23rc1-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 919cb9c15a3..1644caadc6c 100644
--- a/build/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/build/dependencies.yaml
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ dependencies:
 
   # Golang
   - name: "golang: upstream version"
-    version: 1.23rc1
+    version: 1.23rc2
     refPaths:
     - path: .go-version
     - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ dependencies:
   #     match: minimum_go_version=go([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)
 
   - name: "registry.k8s.io/kube-cross: dependents"
-    version: v1.31.0-go1.23rc1-bullseye.0
+    version: v1.31.0-go1.23rc2-bullseye.0
     refPaths:
     - path: build/build-image/cross/VERSION
 
@@ -179,7 +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: v0.6.0
+    version: v0.6.1
     refPaths:
     - path: build/common.sh
       match: __default_distroless_iptables_version=
@@ -187,7 +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-go1.23rc1-bookworm.0
+    version: v2.3.1-go1.23rc2-bookworm.0
     refPaths:
     - path: build/common.sh
       match: __default_go_runner_version=
diff --git a/test/images/Makefile b/test/images/Makefile
index 5eacf82b966..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=1.23rc1
+GOLANG_VERSION=1.23rc2
 export
 
 ifndef WHAT
diff --git a/test/utils/image/manifest.go b/test/utils/image/manifest.go
index 8e38559d1d3..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", "v0.6.0"}
+	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"}