diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify.yml b/.github/workflows/verify.yml
index 4fde4e06c..660e12b7f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: pmd/pmd-github-action@v2.0.0
         id: pmd
         with:
-          version: '7.4.0'
+          version: '7.5.0'
           rulesets: 'ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml'
           analyzeModifiedFilesOnly: false
       - name: Fail build if there are violations
diff --git a/ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml b/ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml
index 42908152f..567192e51 100644
--- a/ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml
+++ b/ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     <exclude name="AvoidSynchronizedAtMethodLevel"/>
     <exclude name="DoNotUseThreads"/>
     <exclude name="UseConcurrentHashMap"/><!--New after PMD 5.3 upgrade, but not intelligent enough-->
+    <exclude name="AvoidSynchronizedStatement"/><!-- Only applies to virtual threads on Java 21, which we do not use, the problem might be solved in a later vm -->
   </rule>
   <rule ref="category/java/design.xml">
     <exclude name="AvoidCatchingGenericException"/><!--Checkstyle-->
diff --git a/ddk-parent/pom.xml b/ddk-parent/pom.xml
index 666e7b0ce..e741e90c8 100644
--- a/ddk-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/ddk-parent/pom.xml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     <spotbugs.plugin.version>4.8.6.2</spotbugs.plugin.version>
     <spotbugs.version>4.8.6</spotbugs.version>
     <pmd.plugin.version>3.25.0</pmd.plugin.version>
-    <pmd.version>7.4.0</pmd.version>
+    <pmd.version>7.5.0</pmd.version>
     <tycho.version>4.0.8</tycho.version>
     <xtend.version>2.36.0</xtend.version>
   </properties>