diff --git a/.requirements b/.requirements
index 0b76a645162e..e9f0c87b5f7e 100644
--- a/.requirements
+++ b/.requirements
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ OPENRESTY=1.25.3.1
 LUAROCKS=3.11.0
 OPENSSL=3.2.1
 PCRE=10.43
-LIBEXPAT=2.5.0
+LIBEXPAT=2.6.2
 
 # Note: git repositories can be loaded from local path if path is set as value
 
diff --git a/build/libexpat/repositories.bzl b/build/libexpat/repositories.bzl
index 3662761ca78b..d379af1244c0 100644
--- a/build/libexpat/repositories.bzl
+++ b/build/libexpat/repositories.bzl
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def libexpat_repositories():
         http_archive,
         name = "libexpat",
         url = "https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/releases/download/" + tag + "/expat-" + version + ".tar.gz",
-        sha256 = "6b902ab103843592be5e99504f846ec109c1abb692e85347587f237a4ffa1033",
+        sha256 = "d4cf38d26e21a56654ffe4acd9cd5481164619626802328506a2869afab29ab3",
         strip_prefix = "expat-" + version,
         build_file = "//build/libexpat:BUILD.libexpat.bazel",
     )
diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/kong/bump-libexpat.yml b/changelog/unreleased/kong/bump-libexpat.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e83a65ed2994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/kong/bump-libexpat.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+message: "Bumped libexpat to 2.6.2"
+type: dependency
+scope: Core
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2-amd64.txt
index 58bce910f670..3f759cfe241a 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -206,4 +206,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-amd64.txt
index 23c8f07c567b..1475038b6e31 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-amd64.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -192,4 +192,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-arm64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-arm64.txt
index 0c21f6338a99..f2e42a900694 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-arm64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/amazonlinux-2023-arm64.txt
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Rpath     : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libm.so.6
   - libc.so.6
@@ -173,4 +173,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-10-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-10-amd64.txt
index 8c717069d615..cfc938ae3499 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-10-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-10-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -206,4 +206,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-11-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-11-amd64.txt
index 63ff912a9513..5eed8dc87a71 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-11-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-11-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libc.so.6
 
@@ -195,4 +195,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-12-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-12-amd64.txt
index 199749ff81c5..687623bfeb2c 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-12-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/debian-12-amd64.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libc.so.6
 
@@ -182,4 +182,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el7-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el7-amd64.txt
index 3724e68614bc..95122d3d6501 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el7-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el7-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -205,4 +205,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el8-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el8-amd64.txt
index d27b15850ccd..1553481b6141 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el8-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el8-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -205,4 +205,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-amd64.txt
index 28f3047b1cb7..bfe5a9a06fa3 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-amd64.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libstdc++.so.6
   - libm.so.6
@@ -192,4 +192,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-arm64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-arm64.txt
index 0c21f6338a99..f2e42a900694 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-arm64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/el9-arm64.txt
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Rpath     : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libm.so.6
   - libc.so.6
@@ -173,4 +173,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-20.04-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-20.04-amd64.txt
index 9b346da59c8f..d0103ac00df7 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-20.04-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-20.04-amd64.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libc.so.6
 
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-amd64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-amd64.txt
index 77d0ab4be01a..443c3426f7f8 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-amd64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-amd64.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   - libc.so.6
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libc.so.6
 
@@ -186,4 +186,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-
diff --git a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-arm64.txt b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-arm64.txt
index 28a22626734f..12545ec6e5fe 100644
--- a/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-arm64.txt
+++ b/scripts/explain_manifest/fixtures/ubuntu-22.04-arm64.txt
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
   - ld-linux-aarch64.so.1
   Runpath   : /usr/local/kong/lib
 
-- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.8.10
+- Path      : /usr/local/kong/lib/libexpat.so.1.9.2
   Needed    :
   - libc.so.6
   - ld-linux-aarch64.so.1
@@ -184,4 +184,3 @@
   OpenSSL   : OpenSSL 3.2.1 30 Jan 2024
   DWARF     : True
   DWARF - ngx_http_request_t related DWARF DIEs: True
-