diff --git a/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml b/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
index e846614..0f9798f 100644
--- a/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<artifactId>todobackend-automatic</artifactId>
 	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>todobackend-automatic</name>
-	<description>Novatec Demo Application</description>
+	<description>Demo Application</description>
 
 	<properties>
 		<java.version>21</java.version>
@@ -53,6 +53,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
 
diff --git a/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml b/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
index bf279b3..70707c5 100644
--- a/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/automatic-instrumentation/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<artifactId>todobackend-automatic-solution</artifactId>
 	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>todobackend-automatic-solution</name>
-	<description>Novatec Demo Application</description>
+	<description>Demo Application</description>
 
 	<properties>
 		<java.version>21</java.version>
@@ -53,6 +53,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>io.opentelemetry.instrumentation</groupId>
diff --git a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
index bc4492b..af9e7d2 100644
--- a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<artifactId>todobackend-manual</artifactId>
 	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>todobackend-manual</name>
-	<description>Novatec Demo Application</description>
+	<description>Demo Application</description>
 
 	<properties>
 		<java.version>21</java.version>
@@ -53,6 +53,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
diff --git a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
index b9c1784..5874662 100644
--- a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/initial/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
@@ -41,6 +41,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
diff --git a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
index 8196c5a..f2c968d 100644
--- a/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/manual-instrumentation-java/solution/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<artifactId>todobackend-manual-solution</artifactId>
 	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>todobackend-manual-solution</name>
-	<description>Novatec Demo Application</description>
+	<description>Demo Application</description>
 
 	<properties>
 		<java.version>21</java.version>
@@ -53,6 +53,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
diff --git a/exercises/otel-in-action/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml b/exercises/otel-in-action/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
index e9561b7..26562c6 100644
--- a/exercises/otel-in-action/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/otel-in-action/todobackend-springboot/pom.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<artifactId>todobackend</artifactId>
 	<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>todobackend</name>
-	<description>Novatec Demo Application</description>
+	<description>Demo Application</description>
 
 	<properties>
 		<java.version>21</java.version>
@@ -53,6 +53,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>io.opentelemetry.instrumentation</groupId>
diff --git a/exercises/otel-in-action/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml b/exercises/otel-in-action/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
index da05675..c06ec47 100644
--- a/exercises/otel-in-action/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
+++ b/exercises/otel-in-action/todoui-thymeleaf/pom.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,20 @@
 			<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
 			<scope>test</scope>
+			<exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>net.bytebuddy</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>byte-buddy-agent</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
 		</dependency>
 
 <!--