diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index ade7260bf6fa..597722eaa67e 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ linters:
   - misspell
   - nakedret
   - nilerr
+  - noctx
   - nolintlint
   - prealloc
   - predeclared
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ linters:
   - typecheck
   - unconvert
   - unparam
+  - unused
   - varcheck
   - whitespace
 
@@ -149,6 +151,8 @@ linters-settings:
     - unnecessaryDefer
     - whyNoLint
     - wrapperFunc
+  unused:
+    go: "1.17"
 issues:
   max-same-issues: 0
   max-issues-per-linter: 0
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/client/config/reader_viper.go b/cmd/clusterctl/client/config/reader_viper.go
index 135ec7dca64a..939f8720afaf 100644
--- a/cmd/clusterctl/client/config/reader_viper.go
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/client/config/reader_viper.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package config
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
@@ -133,6 +134,8 @@ func (v *viperReader) Init(path string) error {
 }
 
 func downloadFile(url string, filepath string) error {
+	ctx := context.TODO()
+
 	// Create the file
 	out, err := os.Create(filepath)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -144,7 +147,12 @@ func downloadFile(url string, filepath string) error {
 		Timeout: 30 * time.Second,
 	}
 	// Get the data
-	resp, err := client.Get(url)
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, url, http.NoBody)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to download the clusterctl config file from %s: failed to create request", url)
+	}
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to download the clusterctl config file from %s", url)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/client/repository/repository_github.go b/cmd/clusterctl/client/repository/repository_github.go
index b710cfb91da9..8e298c187e91 100644
--- a/cmd/clusterctl/client/repository/repository_github.go
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/client/repository/repository_github.go
@@ -262,12 +262,14 @@ func (g *gitHubRepository) getReleaseByTag(tag string) (*github.RepositoryReleas
 
 // downloadFilesFromRelease download a file from release.
 func (g *gitHubRepository) downloadFilesFromRelease(release *github.RepositoryRelease, fileName string) ([]byte, error) {
+	ctx := context.TODO()
+
 	cacheID := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s:%s:%s", g.owner, g.repository, *release.TagName, fileName)
 	if content, ok := cacheFiles[cacheID]; ok {
 		return content, nil
 	}
 
-	client := g.getClient()
+	c := g.getClient()
 	absoluteFileName := filepath.Join(g.rootPath, fileName)
 
 	// search for the file into the release assets, retrieving the asset id
@@ -282,12 +284,17 @@ func (g *gitHubRepository) downloadFilesFromRelease(release *github.RepositoryRe
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("failed to get file %q from %q release", fileName, *release.TagName)
 	}
 
-	reader, redirect, err := client.Repositories.DownloadReleaseAsset(context.TODO(), g.owner, g.repository, *assetID, http.DefaultClient)
+	reader, redirect, err := c.Repositories.DownloadReleaseAsset(context.TODO(), g.owner, g.repository, *assetID, http.DefaultClient)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, g.handleGithubErr(err, "failed to download file %q from %q release", *release.TagName, fileName)
 	}
 	if redirect != "" {
-		response, err := http.Get(redirect) //nolint:bodyclose,gosec // (NB: The reader is actually closed in a defer)
+		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, redirect, http.NoBody)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to download file %q from %q release via redirect location %q: failed to create request", *release.TagName, fileName, redirect)
+		}
+
+		response, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req) //nolint:bodyclose // (NB: The reader is actually closed in a defer)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to download file %q from %q release via redirect location %q", *release.TagName, fileName, redirect)
 		}