diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b3e3608..48bc9ca 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
         fail-fast: false
         matrix:
-            php-version: ['8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5']
+            php-version: ['8.3', '8.4', '8.5']
             os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
 
     steps:
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index c4a0c7b..0be0118 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
         "php-parallel-lint/php-parallel-lint": "^1.4",
         "phpbench/phpbench": "^1.4",
         "phpstan/phpstan": "^1.9",
-        "phpunit/phpunit": "^10.5",
+        "phpunit/phpunit": "^12.5.22",
         "ramsey/conventional-commits": "^1.5",
         "slevomat/coding-standard": "^8.25",
         "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "^4.0"
diff --git a/src/Utils.php b/src/Utils.php
index b207547..62dedfc 100644
--- a/src/Utils.php
+++ b/src/Utils.php
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ private static function convertLargeBaseToBase36(array $digits, int $base): stri
      */
     public static function hexToBase36(string $hexValue): string
     {
+        $hexValue = preg_replace('/[^0-9a-fA-F]/', '', $hexValue) ?? '';
+
         if ($hexValue === '' || $hexValue === '0') {
             return '0';
         }
diff --git a/tests/Cuid2Test.php b/tests/Cuid2Test.php
index 9c15694..6673139 100644
--- a/tests/Cuid2Test.php
+++ b/tests/Cuid2Test.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 use Exception;
 use OutOfRangeException;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 use Visus\Cuid2\Cuid2;
 
@@ -119,9 +120,8 @@ public function testStringRepresentationsAreConsistent(): void
 
     /**
      * @throws Exception
-     *
-     * @dataProvider invalidLengthProvider
      */
+    #[DataProvider('invalidLengthProvider')]
     public function testThrowsExceptionForInvalidLength(int $length): void
     {
         $this->expectException(OutOfRangeException::class);
@@ -200,9 +200,8 @@ public function testGeneratesUniqueValuesInLargeSample(): void
 
     /**
      * @throws Exception
-     *
-     * @dataProvider validLengthProvider
      */
+    #[DataProvider('validLengthProvider')]
     public function testGeneratesCorrectLength(int $length): void
     {
         $cuid = new Cuid2($length);
@@ -226,9 +225,8 @@ public function testStaticGenerateCreatesDefaultLength(): void
 
     /**
      * @throws Exception
-     *
-     * @dataProvider validLengthProvider
      */
+    #[DataProvider('validLengthProvider')]
     public function testStaticGenerateCreatesCustomLength(int $length): void
     {
         $cuid = Cuid2::generate($length);
@@ -240,9 +238,8 @@ public function testStaticGenerateCreatesCustomLength(int $length): void
 
     /**
      * @throws Exception
-     *
-     * @dataProvider invalidLengthProvider
      */
+    #[DataProvider('invalidLengthProvider')]
     public function testStaticGenerateThrowsExceptionForInvalidLength(int $length): void
     {
         $this->expectException(OutOfRangeException::class);
@@ -262,17 +259,13 @@ public function testStaticGenerateProducesUniqueValues(): void
         $this->assertNotEquals((string) $cuid1, (string) $cuid2);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @dataProvider validCuidProvider
-     */
+    #[DataProvider('validCuidProvider')]
     public function testIsValidAcceptsValidCuids(string $cuid, ?int $expectedLength = null): void
     {
         $this->assertTrue(Cuid2::isValid($cuid, $expectedLength));
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @dataProvider invalidCuidProvider
-     */
+    #[DataProvider('invalidCuidProvider')]
     public function testIsValidRejectsInvalidCuids(string $cuid, ?int $expectedLength = null): void
     {
         $this->assertFalse(Cuid2::isValid($cuid, $expectedLength));
diff --git a/tests/UtilsTest.php b/tests/UtilsTest.php
index 5df4125..c373a07 100644
--- a/tests/UtilsTest.php
+++ b/tests/UtilsTest.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Visus\Cuid2\Test;
 
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 use Visus\Cuid2\Utils;
 
@@ -56,9 +57,7 @@ public static function invalidHexCharactersProvider(): array
         ];
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @dataProvider hexToBase36Provider
-     */
+    #[DataProvider('hexToBase36Provider')]
     public function testHexToBase36Conversion(string $hex, string $expected): void
     {
         $result = Utils::hexToBase36($hex);
@@ -126,9 +125,7 @@ public function testHexToBase36ProducesUniqueOutputsForDifferentInputs(): void
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @dataProvider invalidHexCharactersProvider
-     */
+    #[DataProvider('invalidHexCharactersProvider')]
     public function testHexToBase36HandlesInvalidCharactersGracefully(string $hex, string $_expected): void
     {
         // Invalid characters are treated as 0 based on the match default case