diff --git a/Dockerfile.cicd-base b/Dockerfile.cicd-base
index d3116e8..161f787 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.cicd-base
+++ b/Dockerfile.cicd-base
@@ -19,34 +19,10 @@ ENV TZ=America/New_York
 # Configure timezone
 RUN ln -snf /usr/share/zoneinfo/$TZ /etc/localtime && echo $TZ > /etc/timezone
 
-# Install apt-fast with proper GPG handling
-RUN apt-get clean && \
-    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* && \
-    for i in 1 2 3; do \
-        echo "Attempt $i: Updating package lists..." && \
-        apt-get update && break || \
-        (echo "Update attempt $i failed, retrying..." && sleep 10); \
-    done && \
-    apt-get install -y \
-        software-properties-common \
-        gnupg \
-        ca-certificates \
-        curl \
-        wget \
-    && for i in 1 2 3; do \
-        echo "Attempt $i: Adding apt-fast PPA..." && \
-        add-apt-repository -y ppa:apt-fast/stable && \
-        apt-get update && \
-        apt-get install -y apt-fast && \
-        break || \
-        (echo "apt-fast installation attempt $i failed, retrying..." && sleep 10); \
-    done \
-    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
-
-# Configure apt-fast to use apt (not apt-get) with optimized settings
-RUN echo 'apt-fast apt-fast/maxdownloads string 10' | debconf-set-selections && \
-    echo 'apt-fast apt-fast/dlflag boolean true' | debconf-set-selections && \
-    echo 'apt-fast apt-fast/aptmanager string apt' | debconf-set-selections
+# Force apt repositories onto HTTPS so runner network policy does not depend on plain HTTP access.
+RUN set -eux; \
+    find /etc/apt -type f \( -name 'sources.list' -o -name '*.sources' -o -name '*.list' \) -print0 \
+      | xargs -0 sed -i 's|http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports|https://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports|g; s|http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu|https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu|g; s|http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu|https://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu|g'
 
 # Configure apt timeouts and retries
 RUN echo 'Acquire::Retries "3";' > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/80retries && \
@@ -54,8 +30,23 @@ RUN echo 'Acquire::Retries "3";' > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/80retries && \
     echo 'Acquire::https::Timeout "60";' >> /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/80retries && \
     echo 'Acquire::ftp::Timeout "60";' >> /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/80retries
 
-# Install system dependencies using apt-fast
-RUN apt-fast update && apt-fast install -y \
+# Install system dependencies using plain apt-get for runner compatibility.
+RUN set -eux; \
+    apt-get clean; \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*; \
+    for i in 1 2 3; do \
+        echo "Attempt $i: Updating package lists..."; \
+        if apt-get update; then \
+            break; \
+        fi; \
+        if [ "$i" -lt 3 ]; then \
+            echo "Update attempt $i failed, retrying..."; \
+            sleep 10; \
+        else \
+            exit 1; \
+        fi; \
+    done; \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     git \
     curl \
     ca-certificates \
@@ -75,12 +66,15 @@ RUN apt-fast update && apt-fast install -y \
     libxkbcommon0 \
     libasound2 \
     tzdata \
+    gnupg \
+    wget \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Install Python 3.14 with retry and fallback mechanisms
 RUN for i in 1 2 3; do \
         echo "Attempt $i: Adding deadsnakes PPA..." && \
         add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa && \
+        find /etc/apt -type f \( -name 'sources.list' -o -name '*.sources' -o -name '*.list' \) -print0 | xargs -0 sed -i 's|http://|https://|g' && \
         apt-get update && \
         break || \
         (echo "Attempt $i failed, retrying in 10s..." && sleep 10); \
@@ -88,7 +82,7 @@ RUN for i in 1 2 3; do \
 
 RUN for i in 1 2 3; do \
         echo "Attempt $i: Installing Python 3.14..." && \
-        timeout 300 apt-fast install -y \
+        timeout 300 apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
         python3.14 \
         python3.14-venv \
         python3.14-dev && \
@@ -102,8 +96,9 @@ RUN for i in 1 2 3; do \
         echo "Attempt $i: Installing Node.js 24..." && \
         curl -fsSL --connect-timeout 30 --max-time 300 \
         https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | bash - && \
-        apt-fast update && \
-        timeout 300 apt-fast install -y nodejs && \
+    find /etc/apt -type f \( -name 'sources.list' -o -name '*.sources' -o -name '*.list' \) -print0 | xargs -0 sed -i 's|http://|https://|g' && \
+    apt-get update && \
+    timeout 300 apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends nodejs && \
         break || \
         (echo "Attempt $i failed, retrying in 15s..." && sleep 15); \
     done && \