diff --git a/xstream/pom.xml b/xstream/pom.xml
index f505019d71..7af8efa659 100644
--- a/xstream/pom.xml
+++ b/xstream/pom.xml
@@ -11,25 +11,25 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.thoughtworks.xstream</groupId>
             <artifactId>xstream</artifactId>
-            <version>1.4.5</version>
+            <version>${xstream.version}</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.codehaus.jettison</groupId>
             <artifactId>jettison</artifactId>
-            <version>1.3.7</version>
+            <version>${jettison.version}</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <dependency>
             <groupId>junit</groupId>
             <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
-            <version>4.12</version>
+            <version>${junit.version}</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <dependency>
             <groupId>log4j</groupId>
             <artifactId>log4j</artifactId>
-            <version>1.2.17</version>
+            <version>${log4j.version}</version>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.5.1</version>
+                <version>${maven-compiler-plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <source>1.8</source>
                     <target>1.8</target>
@@ -47,4 +47,17 @@
         </plugins>
     </build>
 
+    <properties>
+        <xstream.version>1.4.9</xstream.version>
+        <jettison.version>1.3.8</jettison.version>
+
+        <log4j.version>1.2.17</log4j.version>
+        <!-- testing -->
+        <junit.version>4.12</junit.version>
+
+        <!-- Maven plugins -->
+        <maven-compiler-plugin.version>3.6.0</maven-compiler-plugin.version>
+
+    </properties>
+
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file