diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index 601ccb1da..822dab705 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2019, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2019, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
 # Copyright (c) 2019, 2024, Datadog, Inc. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2022, 2026 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
 #
 # DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
 #
@@ -42,17 +43,18 @@ concurrency:
 
 jobs:
   check_copyright_year:
+    name: Check Copyright Years
     runs-on: 'ubuntu-latest'
     defaults:
       run:
        shell: bash
     steps:
     - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      uses: actions/checkout@v7
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
     - name : Check latest copyright year
-      run: ./scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh
+      run: ./scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh https://github.com/SAP/jmc.git sap
   build_and_test:
     name: Build and Test on ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -68,27 +70,27 @@ jobs:
       MAVENPARAMS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress
     steps:
     - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      uses: actions/checkout@v7
     - name: Set up Java 17
-      uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+      uses: actions/setup-java@v5
       with:
         distribution: sapmachine
         java-version: '17'
         java-package: jdk
         mvn-toolchain-id: 'JavaSE-17'
     - name: Set up Java 21
-      uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+      uses: actions/setup-java@v5
       with:
         distribution: sapmachine
         java-version: '21'
         java-package: jdk
         mvn-toolchain-id: 'JavaSE-21'
     - name: Set up Maven
-      uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v4.5
+      uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v5
       with:
         maven-version: 3.9.8
     - name: Cache local Maven repository
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v6
       with:
         path: ~/.m2/repository
         key: ${{ runner.os }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
diff --git a/scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh b/scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh
index cc4c8700c..7c9bd811b 100755
--- a/scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh
+++ b/scripts/checkcopyrightyear.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,47 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2023, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2023, 2026, Red Hat Inc. All rights reserved.
+#
+# DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+#
+# The contents of this file are subject to the terms of either the Universal Permissive License
+# v 1.0 as shown at https://oss.oracle.com/licenses/upl
+#
+# or the following license:
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted
+# provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions
+# and the following disclaimer.
+#
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
+# conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with
+# the distribution.
+#
+# 3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to
+# endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR
+# CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
+# WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY
+# WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+
+UPSTREAM_URL=${1:-https://github.com/SAP/jmc.git}
+UPSTREAM_BRANCH=${2:-sap}
 
 # set remote for upstream repository
-git remote -v | grep -w upstream || git remote add upstream https://github.com/SAP/jmc.git
+git remote -v | grep -w upstream || git remote add upstream "$UPSTREAM_URL"
 git fetch upstream
 
 CURRENT_YEAR=$(date +'%Y')
-COMMITTED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=d upstream/sap...HEAD)
+COMMITTED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=d "upstream/${UPSTREAM_BRANCH}...HEAD")
 UNCOMMITTED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=d)
 MODIFIED_FILES=$(echo -e "$COMMITTED_FILES\n$UNCOMMITTED_FILES" | sort -u | grep -v '^$')
 counter=0
@@ -26,13 +62,13 @@ do
 done
 if [ $counter -ne 0 ]
 then
-    # check if the PR branch is up-to-date with upstream/sap
+    # check if the PR branch is up-to-date with upstream/master
     # borrowed from: https://stackoverflow.com/a/39402294
-    if git merge-base --is-ancestor upstream/sap @
+    if git merge-base --is-ancestor "upstream/${UPSTREAM_BRANCH}" @
     then
         echo "Branch is up-to-date."
     else
-        echo "Branch is out of date with upstream/sap. Please rebase your branch and try again."
+        echo "Branch is out of date with upstream/${UPSTREAM_BRANCH}. Please rebase your branch and try again."
         exit 1
     fi
     echo "There is a total of $counter copyright year(s) that require updating."