diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-static-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-static-analysis.yml
index 7e768a456463..a3b0527aad72 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-static-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-static-analysis.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
-        os: ["ubuntu-20.04"]
+        os: ["ubuntu-latest"]
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/compile-python-requirements.yml b/.github/workflows/compile-python-requirements.yml
index 0ff99b9c685a..21cb80083f1d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/compile-python-requirements.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/compile-python-requirements.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   recompile-python-dependencies:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out target branch
diff --git a/.github/workflows/js-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/js-tests.yml
index 4d025e540163..c9d2d7ab1191 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/js-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/js-tests.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-20.04]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
         node-version: [18, 20]
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint-imports.yml b/.github/workflows/lint-imports.yml
index 8ead8396bf39..e3c59ec09304 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint-imports.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint-imports.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ on:
 jobs:
   lint-imports:
     name: Lint Python Imports
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out branch
diff --git a/.github/workflows/migrations-check.yml b/.github/workflows/migrations-check.yml
index 183b90effa29..f253d48e4f41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/migrations-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/migrations-check.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-20.04]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
         # 'pinned' is used to install the latest patch version of Django
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Setup mongodb user
         run: |
-          mongosh edxapp --eval '
+          docker exec ${{ job.services.mongo.id }} mongosh edxapp --eval '
             db.createUser(
               {
                 user: "edxapp",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Verify mongo and mysql db credentials
         run: |
           mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -uedxapp001 -ppassword -e "select 1;" edxapp
-          mongosh --host 127.0.0.1 --username edxapp --password password --eval 'use edxapp; db.adminCommand("ping");' edxapp
+          docker exec ${{ job.services.mongo.id }} mongosh --host 127.0.0.1 --username edxapp --password password --eval 'use edxapp; db.adminCommand("ping");' edxapp
 
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-ci-docker-image.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-ci-docker-image.yml
index 0a9f50f6daf9..6a0f3768b7e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-ci-docker-image.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-ci-docker-image.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   push:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pylint-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/pylint-checks.yml
index eeb53c24ed98..58560bf3073f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pylint-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pylint-checks.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   run-pylint:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/quality-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/quality-checks.yml
index cf8ffd5d2910..5445d70e3b4b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/quality-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/quality-checks.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-20.04]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
         node-version: [20]
diff --git a/.github/workflows/semgrep.yml b/.github/workflows/semgrep.yml
index 7f2b4925af8e..d880d7351766 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/semgrep.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/semgrep.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: "${{ matrix.os }}"
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: ["ubuntu-20.04"]
+        os: ["ubuntu-latest"]
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/static-assets-check.yml b/.github/workflows/static-assets-check.yml
index 7bbfd3369b6b..0a417f9b1c79 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/static-assets-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/static-assets-check.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-20.04]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
         python-version:
           - "3.11"
         node-version: [18, 20]
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           pip install -r requirements/edx/assets.txt
 
-      - name: Initiate Mongo DB Service
-        run: sudo systemctl start mongod
-
       - name: Add node_modules bin to $Path
         run: echo $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/node_modules/.bin >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
index 3e442b75d4e7..5fef1c8352ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ concurrency:
 jobs:
   run-tests:
     name: ${{ matrix.shard_name }}(py=${{ matrix.python-version }},dj=${{ matrix.django-version }},mongo=${{ matrix.mongo-version }})
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         python-version:
@@ -66,7 +66,29 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: install system requirements
         run: |
-          sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev libxmlsec1-dev lynx
+          sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev libxmlsec1-dev lynx openssl
+
+      # This is needed until the ENABLE_BLAKE2B_HASHING can be removed and we
+      # can stop using MD4 by default.
+      - name: enable md4 hashing in libssl
+        run: |
+          cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf
+          # Use this in order to automatically load providers.
+          openssl_conf = openssl_init
+
+          [openssl_init]
+          providers = provider_sect
+
+          [provider_sect]
+          default = default_sect
+          legacy = legacy_sect
+
+          [default_sect]
+          activate = 1
+
+          [legacy_sect]
+          activate = 1
+          EOF
 
       - name: install mongo version
         run: |
@@ -142,7 +164,7 @@ jobs:
           overwrite: true
 
   collect-and-verify:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Setup Python
@@ -207,7 +229,7 @@ jobs:
   # https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/33579
   success:
     name: Unit tests successful
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: always()
     needs: [run-tests]
     steps:
@@ -218,7 +240,7 @@ jobs:
           jobs: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
 
   compile-warnings-report:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [run-tests]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -246,7 +268,7 @@ jobs:
           overwrite: true
 
   merge-artifacts:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [compile-warnings-report]
     steps:
       - name: Merge Pytest Warnings JSON Artifacts
@@ -266,7 +288,7 @@ jobs:
   # Combine and upload coverage reports.
   coverage:
     if: (github.repository == 'edx/edx-platform-private') || (github.repository == 'openedx/edx-platform' && (startsWith(github.base_ref, 'open-release') == false))
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [run-tests]
     strategy:
       matrix:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-one-python-dependency.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-one-python-dependency.yml
index 6ca5dfcb355e..84a00266e99f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-one-python-dependency.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-one-python-dependency.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   upgrade-one-python-dependency:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out target branch
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify-dunder-init.yml b/.github/workflows/verify-dunder-init.yml
index 611fc0afc6e3..9d920238ebd4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify-dunder-init.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify-dunder-init.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
 jobs:
   verify_dunder_init:
     name: Verify __init__.py Files
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out branch