diff --git a/.github/workflows/krel-release-notes-validate.yaml b/.github/workflows/krel-release-notes-validate.yaml
index 70d4c01af31..fd8a7f22454 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/krel-release-notes-validate.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/krel-release-notes-validate.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ on:
     paths:
       - releases/**/release-notes/**.yaml
   # Allow manual triggering
-  workflow_dispatch: {}
+  workflow_dispatch: { }
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.ref }}-${{ github.workflow }}
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: ${{ !github.event.pull_request.draft }}
     steps:
-      - name: Cancel Previous Actions
-        uses: styfle/cancel-workflow-action@85880fa0301c86cca9da44039ee3bb12d3bedbfa # v0.12.1
-        with:
-            access_token: ${{ github.token }}
       - name: Check out code
         uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
         with:
@@ -40,32 +36,48 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: '0'
       - uses: actions/setup-go@41dfa10bad2bb2ae585af6ee5bb4d7d973ad74ed # v5.1.0
         with:
-            go-version: '1.23'
-            check-latest: true
+          go-version: '1.23'
+          check-latest: true
+      - uses: sigstore/cosign-installer@dc72c7d5c4d10cd6bcb8cf6e3fd625a9e5e537da # v3.7.0
+        with:
+          use-sudo: false
       - id: install-krel
         shell: bash
         run: |
-            #!/usr/bin/env bash
-            set -euo pipefail
-            echo "Installing krel..."
-            if ! go install k8s.io/release/cmd/krel@latest; then
-              echo "::error::Failed to install krel"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-            echo "Verifying krel installation..."
-            if ! command -v krel &> /dev/null; then
-              echo "::error::krel not found in PATH after installation"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-            echo "Testing krel..."
-            if ! krel --help &> /dev/null; then
-              echo "::error::krel --help failed, installation may be corrupted"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-            echo "krel installed successfully"
-            KREL_PATH=$(which krel)
-            echo "krel-path=$KREL_PATH" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-            echo "Krel path: $KREL_PATH"
+          #!/bin/bash
+          set -euo pipefail
+          
+          KREL_VERSION=v0.17.12
+          ARTIFACT_NAME=krel-amd64-linux
+          TEMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+          cd "$TEMP_DIR"
+          
+          echo "Downloading krel version $KREL_VERSION..."
+          if ! curl -sL "https://github.com/kubernetes/release/releases/download/$KREL_VERSION/$ARTIFACT_NAME" -o krel; then
+           echo "Failed to download krel"
+           exit 1
+          fi
+          
+          KREL_CERT="https://github.com/kubernetes/release/releases/download/$KREL_VERSION/$ARTIFACT_NAME.pem"
+          KREL_SIG="https://github.com/kubernetes/release/releases/download/$KREL_VERSION/$ARTIFACT_NAME.sig"
+          
+          echo "Using cosign to verify signature of krel version $KREL_VERSION"
+          if ! cosign verify-blob --certificate "$KREL_CERT" --signature "$KREL_SIG" \
+            --certificate-identity "https://github.com/kubernetes/release/.github/workflows/release.yml@refs/tags/$KREL_VERSION" \
+            --certificate-oidc-issuer "https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com" krel; then
+             echo "Signature verification failed for krel version: '$KREL_VERSION'"
+             exit 1
+          fi
+          
+          chmod +x krel
+          mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
+          mv krel "$HOME/.local/bin/"
+          cd - > /dev/null
+          rm -rf "$TEMP_DIR"
+          
+          KREL_PATH="$HOME/.local/bin/krel"
+          echo "krel-path=$KREL_PATH" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "Krel installed at: $KREL_PATH"
       - name: Get the latest commit from the base branch
         id: base_branch_commit
         run: |
@@ -104,8 +116,7 @@ jobs:
 
             # If there are any invalid files, set the output variable and fail the job
             if [ -n "$INVALID_FILES" ]; then
-              echo "invalid_files=$INVALID_FILES" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-              echo "::set-output name=invalid_files::$(echo -n "$INVALID_FILES")"
+              echo "invalid_files=$(echo -n "$INVALID_FILES")" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
               exit 1
             else
               echo "All YAML files are valid."