diff --git a/.github/bundles/aks/uds-bundle.yaml b/.github/bundles/aks/uds-bundle.yaml
index 6eecc9553e..bec244ae06 100644
--- a/.github/bundles/aks/uds-bundle.yaml
+++ b/.github/bundles/aks/uds-bundle.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   name: uds-core-aks-nightly
   description: A UDS bundle for deploying UDS Core on AKS
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 packages:
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core
     path: ../../../build
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     overrides:
       istio-admin-gateway:
diff --git a/.github/bundles/eks/uds-bundle.yaml b/.github/bundles/eks/uds-bundle.yaml
index 38dee046e6..49e83778ba 100644
--- a/.github/bundles/eks/uds-bundle.yaml
+++ b/.github/bundles/eks/uds-bundle.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   name: uds-core-eks-nightly
   description: A UDS bundle for deploying EKS and UDS Core
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 packages:
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core
     path: ../../../build
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     optionalComponents:
       - metrics-server # note: metrics-server is not available as an EKS addon in govcloud
diff --git a/.github/bundles/rke2/uds-bundle.yaml b/.github/bundles/rke2/uds-bundle.yaml
index 6adf6cf683..c2d485ab92 100644
--- a/.github/bundles/rke2/uds-bundle.yaml
+++ b/.github/bundles/rke2/uds-bundle.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   name: uds-core-rke2-nightly
   description: A UDS bundle for deploying RKE2 and UDS Core
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 packages:
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core
     path: ../../../build
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     optionalComponents:
       - metrics-server
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 9d2db0a806..049f11d423 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-    ".": "0.40.1"
+    ".": "0.41.0"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d6bd957d9b..cd6f4f0d7e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,52 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
+## [0.41.0](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/compare/v0.40.1...v0.41.0) (2025-04-28)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* add conditional netpol for coredns ([#1501](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1501)) ([fc7ace3](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/fc7ace3a1d56524dc1f03296fc13a482aaad1911))
+* client credential registration default ([#1482](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1482)) ([894c5d9](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/894c5d940cd614a1cd5f8d4539e4f340bc1dbf06))
+* keycloak fips mode ([#1469](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1469)) ([74e632e](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/74e632efd6a5be5cc66441d412a3b49733f29576))
+* operator ambient mode ([#1496](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1496)) ([71f03fd](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/71f03fd284db5be77b7a6550c972ea80036eb422))
+* opt Grafana into ambient ([#1466](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1466)) ([dac2d3e](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/dac2d3ecd5ea1ff1a8898458aff756bec11ab200))
+* opt logging into ambient ([#1472](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1472)) ([117d586](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/117d586658cc0e6a111abe13c65acf229996a89d))
+* opt metrics-server into ambient ([#1458](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1458)) ([01c2ec6](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/01c2ec6f9804c6f7af70b8d7ecfc565d53ec25a2))
+* opt velero into ambient ([#1490](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1490)) ([a0591c7](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/a0591c7807631bc779b210fb2b292d0365e1edf1))
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **ci:** permissions on release workflow ([#1507](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1507)) ([cb12f13](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/cb12f13f64a77488c59e5294cca31de0f3dbd494))
+* **ci:** renovate readiness version loop fix ([#1488](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1488)) ([a40c15b](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/a40c15b31d8e5dda95c8df0fc232433c9507ca25))
+* update loki images to fips images ([#1502](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1502)) ([eb20b4e](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/eb20b4e4a5a9c8c9b9743af97d99d332641753ec))
+
+
+### Miscellaneous
+
+* **ci:** automated renovate readiness action checks ([#1465](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1465)) ([ed0ca6b](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/ed0ca6b7b951d9e014e1040dc030e45e89a8cfcc))
+* **ci:** switch eks CI to FIPS ami, update to 1.31 k8s testing ([#1474](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1474)) ([7307d03](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/7307d03de48efe79171c1bd4818e0036b09833b6))
+* **deps:** update grafana ([#1489](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1489)) ([0c063f1](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/0c063f1b7e53fad7e17395d0f60f1c9cb8f0b930))
+* **deps:** update istio to v1.25.2 ([#1461](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1461)) ([1067560](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/1067560b7295fad5b4c2f40e18f989c22fc9c4f2))
+* **deps:** update istio to v1.3.0 ([#1491](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1491)) ([9066584](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/906658400820cb3aad62e1a06a73e721c6b7c7a2))
+* **deps:** update keycloak to v0.13.0 ([#1506](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1506)) ([04d42ef](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/04d42ef1b907f39aaf75c3cbe041963f7989a0d1))
+* **deps:** update keycloak to v26.2.0 ([#1452](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1452)) ([927a57b](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/927a57ba9042d6cde5507dbcf0e8c5d35e568548))
+* **deps:** update keycloak to v26.2.1 ([#1486](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1486)) ([d68cad8](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/d68cad88e6e680d47423aecd3678d50bfdef03fb))
+* **deps:** update loki ([#1483](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1483)) ([3a697df](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/3a697df8f372332ecba338a41b4164cd89bdf974))
+* **deps:** update neuvector ([#1417](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1417)) ([4c0d95d](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/4c0d95db6239ccf6f06acbbc1b708506dea0d0fc))
+* **deps:** update pepr ([#1454](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1454)) ([a98640f](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/a98640f115c690d3497ce0b94b70b7574f0a48be))
+* **deps:** update support dependencies to v4.7.0 ([#1477](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1477)) ([dcee0a3](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/dcee0a316898c819bf98f848a4d6a75086a32b46))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1473](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1473)) ([3d9d501](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/3d9d50101da2d607721b6c31df78d3a202635441))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1480](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1480)) ([c41f359](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/c41f35988b100f0c7d3050cade52a6d3b234bf7f))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1481](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1481)) ([cc2af2b](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/cc2af2bd0ce7c4e35a0fd3d77103172d5dec9387))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1487](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1487)) ([cdcba75](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/cdcba758af2cede8dbfbce28cd050588265c7360))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1493](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1493)) ([88cbf29](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/88cbf29b1958a6d904f41c6c60a1839eff40310b))
+* **deps:** update support-deps ([#1497](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1497)) ([f308176](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/f3081760c4b3696cbba4b00482d0ecfa62ede83f))
+* **deps:** update velero ([#1453](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1453)) ([7330ea9](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/7330ea92e346aaa525a182916d41d3a2dad8e8c4))
+* **deps:** update velero ([#1492](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1492)) ([ff504c0](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/ff504c0297e4ce49576d62736cf3b591ed5b237b))
+* **deps:** update velero to v1.32.4 ([#1484](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/issues/1484)) ([06709e8](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/commit/06709e89203c1afc202d877ff5bda66e649d9efa))
+
 ## [0.40.1](https://github.com/defenseunicorns/uds-core/compare/v0.40.0...v0.40.1) (2025-04-17)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ac37356e27..b7a886c87e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ If you want to try out UDS Core, you can use the [k3d-core-demo bundle](./bundle
 <!-- x-release-please-start-version -->
 
 ```bash
-uds deploy k3d-core-demo:0.40.1
+uds deploy k3d-core-demo:0.41.0
 ```
 
 <!-- x-release-please-end -->
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Deploy Istio, Keycloak and Pepr:
 <!-- x-release-please-start-version -->
 
 ```bash
-uds deploy k3d-core-slim-dev:0.40.1
+uds deploy k3d-core-slim-dev:0.41.0
 ```
 
 <!-- x-release-please-end -->
diff --git a/bundles/k3d-slim-dev/uds-bundle.yaml b/bundles/k3d-slim-dev/uds-bundle.yaml
index 6c65f27d73..b8d106a4b1 100644
--- a/bundles/k3d-slim-dev/uds-bundle.yaml
+++ b/bundles/k3d-slim-dev/uds-bundle.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   name: k3d-core-slim-dev
   description: A UDS bundle for deploying Istio from UDS Core on a development cluster
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 packages:
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core-base
     path: ../../build/
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     overrides:
       pepr-uds-core:
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core-identity-authorization
     path: ../../build/
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     overrides:
       keycloak:
diff --git a/bundles/k3d-standard/uds-bundle.yaml b/bundles/k3d-standard/uds-bundle.yaml
index 555da45290..aed90bc4a6 100644
--- a/bundles/k3d-standard/uds-bundle.yaml
+++ b/bundles/k3d-standard/uds-bundle.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   name: k3d-core-demo
   description: A UDS bundle for deploying the standard UDS Core package on a development cluster
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 packages:
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ packages:
   - name: core
     path: ../../build/
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    ref: 0.40.1
+    ref: 0.41.0
     # x-release-please-end
     optionalComponents:
       - istio-passthrough-gateway
diff --git a/packages/backup-restore/zarf.yaml b/packages/backup-restore/zarf.yaml
index a2a0f6b1d5..82130a09d2 100644
--- a/packages/backup-restore/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/backup-restore/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Backup and Restore)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/base/zarf.yaml b/packages/base/zarf.yaml
index a05da6f1a2..3581831553 100644
--- a/packages/base/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/base/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Base)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: []
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/checkpoint-dev/zarf.yaml b/packages/checkpoint-dev/zarf.yaml
index f52e6e7190..b183c20abc 100644
--- a/packages/checkpoint-dev/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/checkpoint-dev/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "Rehydratable UDS K3d + UDS Core Slim (Istio, UDS Operator and Keycloak) Checkpoint"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
 
 variables:
diff --git a/packages/identity-authorization/zarf.yaml b/packages/identity-authorization/zarf.yaml
index 8a8597911c..a587b3c4cb 100644
--- a/packages/identity-authorization/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/identity-authorization/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Identity & Authorization)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/logging/zarf.yaml b/packages/logging/zarf.yaml
index ae1072d3c2..93947f9a6d 100644
--- a/packages/logging/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/logging/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Logging)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/metrics-server/zarf.yaml b/packages/metrics-server/zarf.yaml
index 953db6762b..92c2d3b11c 100644
--- a/packages/metrics-server/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/metrics-server/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Metrics Server)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/monitoring/zarf.yaml b/packages/monitoring/zarf.yaml
index 93b5cfa38c..f48ad8fecd 100644
--- a/packages/monitoring/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/monitoring/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core Monitoring (Prometheus and Grafana)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base", "identity-authorization"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/runtime-security/zarf.yaml b/packages/runtime-security/zarf.yaml
index b0f6c12fd7..69cb6d8ca6 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-security/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/runtime-security/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core (Runtime Security)"
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   x-uds-dependencies: ["base", "identity-authorization"]
   annotations:
diff --git a/packages/standard/zarf.yaml b/packages/standard/zarf.yaml
index 589fe0998a..36e0454b2e 100644
--- a/packages/standard/zarf.yaml
+++ b/packages/standard/zarf.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
   description: "UDS Core is a collection of several individual applications combined into a single Zarf Package, that establishes a secure baseline for secure cloud-native systems."
   authors: "Defense Unicorns - Product"
   # x-release-please-start-version
-  version: "0.40.1"
+  version: "0.41.0"
   # x-release-please-end
   annotations:
     dev.uds.title: UDS Core
diff --git a/tasks/deploy.yaml b/tasks/deploy.yaml
index 6213ab286d..4df2dee7a1 100644
--- a/tasks/deploy.yaml
+++ b/tasks/deploy.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ variables:
   - name: VERSION
     description: "The version of the packages to deploy"
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    default: "0.40.1"
+    default: "0.41.0"
     # x-release-please-end
   - name: FLAVOR
     default: upstream
diff --git a/tasks/publish.yaml b/tasks/publish.yaml
index 64e37fe047..4bc7b91846 100644
--- a/tasks/publish.yaml
+++ b/tasks/publish.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ variables:
   - name: VERSION
     description: "The version of the packages to build"
     # x-release-please-start-version
-    default: "0.40.1"
+    default: "0.41.0"
     # x-release-please-end
 
   - name: LAYER