diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 96d8ef1..047a28d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ stages:
 variables:
   BASE_TAG: "develop"
   USE_PRIVATE_IMAGES: 0
-  KASM_RELEASE: "1.17.0"
-  TEST_INSTALLER: "https://kasm-static-content.s3.amazonaws.com/kasm_release_1.17.0.bbc15c.tar.gz"
+  KASM_RELEASE: "1.18.0"
+  TEST_INSTALLER: "https://kasm-static-content.s3.amazonaws.com/kasm_release_1.18.0.09f70a.tar.gz"
   MIRROR_ORG_NAME: "kasmtech"
+default:
+  retry: 2
 before_script:
   - export SANITIZED_BRANCH="$(echo $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME | sed -r 's#^release/##' | sed 's/\//_/g')"
 
diff --git a/ci-scripts/gitlab-ci.template b/ci-scripts/gitlab-ci.template
index 1ae170b..07411aa 100644
--- a/ci-scripts/gitlab-ci.template
+++ b/ci-scripts/gitlab-ci.template
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 ############
 # Settings #
 ############
-image: docker:24.0.6
+image: docker:28.0.0
 services:
-  - docker:24.0.6-dind
+  - docker:28.0.0-dind
 stages:
   - readme
   - revert
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ variables:
   DOCKER_TLS_CERTDIR: ""
   TEST_INSTALLER: "{{ TEST_INSTALLER }}"
   MIRROR_ORG_NAME: "{{ MIRROR_ORG_NAME }}"
+default:
+  retry: 2
 before_script:
   - docker login --username $DOCKER_HUB_USERNAME --password $DOCKER_HUB_PASSWORD
   - if [ "$CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED" == "true" ]; then docker login --username $QUAY_USERNAME --password $QUAY_PASSWORD quay.io; fi