diff --git a/dependency-check-maven/pom.xml b/dependency-check-maven/pom.xml
index 7e93fef11..ea50f8cf3 100644
--- a/dependency-check-maven/pom.xml
+++ b/dependency-check-maven/pom.xml
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-project-info-reports-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.7</version>
+                <version>${reporting.project-info-reports-plugin.version}</version>
                 <reportSets>
                     <reportSet>
                         <reports>
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-plugin-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.2</version>
+                <version>${reporting.maven-plugin-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <goalPrefix>dependency-check</goalPrefix>
                 </configuration>
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.9.1</version>
+                <version>${reporting.javadoc-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <failOnError>false</failOnError>
                     <bottom>Copyright© 2012-15 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.</bottom>
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                 <artifactId>versions-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.1</version>
+                <version>${reporting.versions-plugin.version}</version>
                 <reportSets>
                     <reportSet>
                         <reports>
@@ -182,17 +182,17 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-jxr-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.4</version>
+                <version>${reporting.jxr-plugin.version}</version>
             </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                 <artifactId>cobertura-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.6</version>
+                <version>${reporting.cobertura-plugin.version}</version>
             </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-surefire-report-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.16</version>
+                <version>${reporting.surefire-report-plugin.version}</version>
                 <reportSets>
                     <reportSet>
                         <reports>
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                 <artifactId>taglist-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.4</version>
+                <version>${reporting.taglist-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <tagListOptions>
                         <tagClasses>
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.11</version>
+                <version>${reporting.checkstyle-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <enableRulesSummary>false</enableRulesSummary>
                     <enableFilesSummary>false</enableFilesSummary>
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-pmd-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.1</version>
+                <version>${reporting.pmd-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <targetJdk>1.6</targetJdk>
                     <linkXref>true</linkXref>
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2013 Jeremy Long. All Rights Reserved.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                 <artifactId>findbugs-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.5.3</version>
+                <version>${reporting.findbugs-plugin.version}</version>
             </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </reporting>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a66a1285a..6aefafccf 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -134,8 +134,10 @@ Copyright (c) 2012 - Jeremy Long
         <reporting.findbugs-plugin.version>2.5.3</reporting.findbugs-plugin.version>
         <reporting.javadoc-plugin.version>2.9.1</reporting.javadoc-plugin.version>
         <reporting.jxr-plugin.version>2.4</reporting.jxr-plugin.version>
+        <!-- todo(code review): only used in maven module? Not needed elsewhere -->
+        <reporting.maven-plugin-plugin.version>3.2</reporting.maven-plugin-plugin.version>
         <reporting.pmd-plugin.version>3.0.1</reporting.pmd-plugin.version>
-        <!-- TODO(code review) project-info-reports-plugin was used in core, but not utils. Expected/intended? -->
+        <!-- TODO(code review) project-info-reports-plugin was/is not used in utils. Expected/intended? -->
         <reporting.project-info-reports-plugin.version>2.7</reporting.project-info-reports-plugin.version>
         <reporting.surefire-report-plugin.version>2.16</reporting.surefire-report-plugin.version>
         <reporting.taglist-plugin.version>2.4</reporting.taglist-plugin.version>