diff --git a/.golangci.yaml b/.golangci.yaml
index 90c081429a..12df91f3b1 100644
--- a/.golangci.yaml
+++ b/.golangci.yaml
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ output:
 
 # all available settings of specific linters
 linters-settings:
+  gosec:
+    # TODO: fix all issues with int overflow and return this rule back
+    excludes:
+      - G115
   dogsled:
     # checks assignments with too many blank identifiers; default is 2
     max-blank-identifiers: 2
diff --git a/ekm/signer_storage.go b/ekm/signer_storage.go
index fc8eadd62e..5f67dcffa9 100644
--- a/ekm/signer_storage.go
+++ b/ekm/signer_storage.go
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (s *storage) OpenWallet() (core.Wallet, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to open wallet")
 	}
-	if obj.Value == nil || len(obj.Value) == 0 {
+	if len(obj.Value) == 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("failed to open wallet")
 	}
 	// decode
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ func (s *storage) RetrieveHighestAttestation(pubKey []byte) (*phase0.Attestation
 	if !found {
 		return nil, false, nil
 	}
-	if obj.Value == nil || len(obj.Value) == 0 {
+	if len(obj.Value) == 0 {
 		return nil, found, errors.Wrap(err, "highest attestation value is empty")
 	}
 
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func (s *storage) RetrieveHighestProposal(pubKey []byte) (phase0.Slot, bool, err
 	if !found {
 		return 0, found, nil
 	}
-	if obj.Value == nil || len(obj.Value) == 0 {
+	if len(obj.Value) == 0 {
 		return 0, found, errors.Wrap(err, "highest proposal value is empty")
 	}
 
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ func (s *storage) RemoveHighestProposal(pubKey []byte) error {
 }
 
 func (s *storage) decryptData(objectValue []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	if s.encryptionKey == nil || len(s.encryptionKey) == 0 {
+	if len(s.encryptionKey) == 0 {
 		return objectValue, nil
 	}
 
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ func (s *storage) decryptData(objectValue []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *storage) encryptData(objectValue []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	if s.encryptionKey == nil || len(s.encryptionKey) == 0 {
+	if len(s.encryptionKey) == 0 {
 		return objectValue, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/integration/qbft/tests/setup_test.go b/integration/qbft/tests/setup_test.go
index d319c44793..6a5655b840 100644
--- a/integration/qbft/tests/setup_test.go
+++ b/integration/qbft/tests/setup_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package tests
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	spectypes "github.com/bloxapp/ssv-spec/types"
@@ -61,10 +62,13 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 		Nodes: nodes,
 	}
 
-	m.Run()
+	// exitCode required here only for linter
+	exitCode := m.Run()
 
 	//teardown
 	for i := 0; i < len(ln.Nodes); i++ {
 		_ = ln.Nodes[i].Close()
 	}
+
+	os.Exit(exitCode)
 }
diff --git a/operator/keys/rsa_linux_test.go b/operator/keys/rsa_linux_test.go
index e53d875fdf..c6e29d42d6 100644
--- a/operator/keys/rsa_linux_test.go
+++ b/operator/keys/rsa_linux_test.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-// go:build linux
+//go:build linux
+
 package keys
 
 import (
@@ -6,10 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"crypto/rsa"
 	"crypto/sha256"
+	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-
-	"testing"
 )
 
 func Test_VerifyRegularSigWithOpenSSL(t *testing.T) {