diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
index cc44bd17250..9ad3cb66c8c 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ import (
 	gogit "github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-sdk/git"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-sdk/github"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-utils/command"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-utils/editor"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-utils/helpers"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 
 	"k8s.io/release/pkg/notes"
 	"k8s.io/release/pkg/notes/document"
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 0f7f09c905a..7dd4aad45bb 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ require (
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
 	github.com/tj/go-spin v1.1.0
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.13
+	go.yaml.in/yaml/v4 v4.0.0-rc.2
 	golang.org/x/net v0.43.0
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.30.0
 	golang.org/x/text v0.28.0
 	google.golang.org/api v0.246.0
-	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0
 	k8s.io/apimachinery v0.34.0
 	k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20250604170112-4c0f3b243397
 	sigs.k8s.io/bom v0.6.1-0.20250809182942-3af5abaeaa9e
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ require (
 	gopkg.in/inf.v0 v0.9.1 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/ini.v1 v1.67.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/warnings.v0 v0.1.2 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 	k8s.io/api v0.34.0 // indirect
 	k8s.io/client-go v0.34.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 969bc6e3228..0bf18cf5201 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -967,6 +967,8 @@ go.yaml.in/yaml/v2 v2.4.2 h1:DzmwEr2rDGHl7lsFgAHxmNz/1NlQ7xLIrlN2h5d1eGI=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v2 v2.4.2/go.mod h1:081UH+NErpNdqlCXm3TtEran0rJZGxAYx9hb/ELlsPU=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v3 v3.0.4 h1:tfq32ie2Jv2UxXFdLJdh3jXuOzWiL1fo0bu/FbuKpbc=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v3 v3.0.4/go.mod h1:DhzuOOF2ATzADvBadXxruRBLzYTpT36CKvDb3+aBEFg=
+go.yaml.in/yaml/v4 v4.0.0-rc.2 h1:/FrI8D64VSr4HtGIlUtlFMGsm7H7pWTbj6vOLVZcA6s=
+go.yaml.in/yaml/v4 v4.0.0-rc.2/go.mod h1:aZqd9kCMsGL7AuUv/m/PvWLdg5sjJsZ4oHDEnfPPfY0=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190510104115-cbcb75029529/go.mod h1:yigFU9vqHzYiE8UmvKecakEJjdnWj3jj499lnFckfCI=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190605123033-f99c8df09eb5/go.mod h1:yigFU9vqHzYiE8UmvKecakEJjdnWj3jj499lnFckfCI=
diff --git a/pkg/cve/impl.go b/pkg/cve/impl.go
index 84ac343cedd..bd647de94b4 100644
--- a/pkg/cve/impl.go
+++ b/pkg/cve/impl.go
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import (
 
 	"cloud.google.com/go/storage"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-sdk/object"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 
 	"k8s.io/release/pkg/notes"
 )
diff --git a/pkg/notes/notes.go b/pkg/notes/notes.go
index f598d586e3e..b2a8bc244dd 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/notes.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/notes.go
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"golang.org/x/text/cases"
 	"golang.org/x/text/language"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-sdk/github"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 
 	"k8s.io/release/pkg/notes/options"
 )
diff --git a/pkg/notes/notes_map.go b/pkg/notes/notes_map.go
index 109f3d511a1..4d69709fc24 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/notes_map.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/notes_map.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
+	"go.yaml.in/yaml/v4"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/release-sdk/object"
 )
diff --git a/pkg/notes/notes_test.go b/pkg/notes/notes_test.go
index a802931c379..990a628dc3f 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/notes_test.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/notes_test.go
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ func testApplyMapHelper(t *testing.T, testDir string, makeNewNote func() *Releas
 		require.True(t, ok, "found map test without testcase")
 
 		// Read the property this test case checks
-		property, ok := testcase.(map[interface{}]interface{})["property"].(string)
+		property, ok := testcase.(map[string]any)["property"].(string)
 		require.True(t, ok)
 		require.NotEmpty(t, property)
 		require.NotEmpty(t, property, "testcase found without property")
@@ -451,10 +451,10 @@ func testApplyMapHelper(t *testing.T, testDir string, makeNewNote func() *Releas
 		originalVal := reflect.Indirect(reflectedOriginalNote).FieldByName(property)
 
 		// Factor the test name
-		testName, ok := testcase.(map[interface{}]interface{})["name"].(string)
+		testName, ok := testcase.(map[string]any)["name"].(string)
 		require.True(t, ok)
 
-		switch expectedValue := testcase.(map[interface{}]interface{})["expected"].(type) {
+		switch expectedValue := testcase.(map[string]any)["expected"].(type) {
 		case bool:
 			actualVal := reflect.Indirect(reflectedNote).FieldByName(property).Bool()
 			require.Equalf(t, expectedValue, actualVal, "Failed %s", testName)
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ func testApplyMapHelper(t *testing.T, testDir string, makeNewNote func() *Releas
 			actualVal := reflect.Indirect(reflectedNote).FieldByName(property).String()
 			require.Equalf(t, expectedValue, actualVal, "Failed %s", testName)
 			require.NotEqualf(t, expectedValue, originalVal.String(), "Failed %s", testName)
-		case []interface{}:
+		case []any:
 			// Handle string slice cases
 			actualVal := reflect.Indirect(reflectedNote).FieldByName(property)
 			actualSlice := make([]string, 0)