diff --git a/.github/release-please/.release-please-manifest.json b/.github/release-please/.release-please-manifest.json
index 58ef57e0..eb0c51f1 100644
--- a/.github/release-please/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.github/release-please/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "7.1.0"
+  ".": "7.2.0"
 }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c7290e52..95a5e339 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -252,7 +252,14 @@ jobs:
       - set-build-metadata
       - build-container-image
       - build-test-suite-matrix
+    # Don't fail the entire test suite when:
+    # - Running npm audit, so we can see test results even if there are
+    #   vulnerable dependencies that might be unrelated to the PR
+    # - Running the 'test' target because it runs all the tests, including the
+    #   ones that are allowed to fail
+    continue-on-error: ${{ matrix.test-case == 'npm-audit' || matrix.test-case == 'test' }}
     strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
       matrix:
         test-case: ${{ fromJson(needs.build-test-suite-matrix.outputs.matrix) }}
         images:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ef68ad35..1d65e21b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,81 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [7.2.0](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/compare/v7.1.0...v7.2.0) (2024-11-17)
+
+
+### 🚀 Features
+
+* allow passing custom options to rust clippy ([#6094](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6094)) ([05d4d4e](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/05d4d4e128d14b9c442efdd6617237b0e2ded1c1)), closes [#4001](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/4001)
+* implement a linter to check git conflicts ([#6113](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6113)) ([e0d8b4f](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/e0d8b4fb2f36c890b71c5e14fd46715098c3c6f1))
+* lint commit messages with commitlint ([#6118](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6118)) ([5d6e3fc](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/5d6e3fcecc2b2906eedc2d15495fd6027bf51a9e))
+* optionally remove color codes from output ([#6095](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6095)) ([94920ff](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/94920ffcc743ebba42205db26cc4bad16f309498)), closes [#5540](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/5540)
+
+
+### 🐛 Bugfixes
+
+* correctly load custom linter commands ([#6085](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6085)) ([ad0ff68](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/ad0ff68c526c79ca1fd61d0225db7662571b8037)), closes [#6084](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6084)
+
+
+### ⬆️ Dependency updates
+
+* **bundler:** bump standard from 1.40.0 to 1.40.1 in /dependencies ([#6239](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6239)) ([75fb343](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/75fb3434dd8338fac1b5616db1f5a564498370ad))
+* **bundler:** bump standard from 1.41.0 to 1.41.1 in /dependencies ([#6291](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6291)) ([54782ec](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/54782eccc3a321d55598c840167146057f4d13e5))
+* **bundler:** bump the rubocop group across 1 directory with 3 updates ([#6348](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6348)) ([6e23e6e](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/6e23e6e95389e4a4c98921307ef7a87d86203023))
+* **bundler:** bump the rubocop group in /dependencies with 6 updates ([#6252](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6252)) ([a8920a4](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/a8920a4c21bc416dcd1d96b70a5f76d7993c69e2))
+* **docker:** bump composer/composer from 2.7.6 to 2.8.1 ([#6237](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6237)) ([95b56f1](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/95b56f1a2700dfcadc3b5ebda9b7647da95f57ea))
+* **docker:** bump golang from 1.23.0-alpine to 1.23.2-alpine ([#6236](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6236)) ([2a42244](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/2a42244b37895c51a495f1248397bb69bea918c7))
+* **docker:** bump python from 3.12.5-alpine3.20 to 3.12.7-alpine3.20 ([#6235](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6235)) ([c97987c](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/c97987ce2af88ca69ee2aa614e198878c23438ff))
+* **docker:** bump the docker group across 1 directory with 15 updates ([#6356](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6356)) ([ddabcba](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/ddabcba0013165686703808e1b16b6d8747325af))
+* **java:** bump the java-gradle group across 2 directories with 2 updates ([#6248](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6248)) ([fd28996](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/fd2899662d0a9f8f1dddd571291fc11cb6dac522))
+* **java:** bump the java-gradle group across 2 directories with 2 updates ([#6335](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6335)) ([d4402a4](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/d4402a4727d63bb6da5ccdab177bda7186dafbbc))
+* **npm:** bump @babel/eslint-parser in /dependencies ([#6261](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6261)) ([0891581](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/08915817797e117d23ba88c3bd1be99a5254b031))
+* **npm:** bump @babel/eslint-parser in /dependencies ([#6307](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6307)) ([538bda9](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/538bda9750c98fe25cc69ce2b63fd4f6bd9327b0))
+* **npm:** bump @react-native/eslint-config ([#6355](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6355)) ([4013f55](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/4013f55081a5c85a7128318b612190113b919f38))
+* **npm:** bump @stoplight/spectral-cli in /dependencies ([#6181](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6181)) ([468901b](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/468901bc7f7f9e7382b22b11ffd07de41869d703))
+* **npm:** bump @stoplight/spectral-cli in /dependencies ([#6337](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6337)) ([918f185](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/918f185c8e70ebc6260790da6a3862757e760387))
+* **npm:** bump @stoplight/spectral-cli in /dependencies ([#6359](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6359)) ([9b3e0cd](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/9b3e0cd5f3cee32b6d11a9e68e4c6e4dfee3d786))
+* **npm:** bump asl-validator from 3.8.3 to 3.8.4 in /dependencies ([#6312](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6312)) ([e8c508a](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/e8c508a3b95acda635948f0a1a078f2fe89a9905))
+* **npm:** bump asl-validator from 3.8.4 to 3.9.0 in /dependencies ([#6357](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6357)) ([f955866](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/f95586699f5ef40fe3c167dcd3e3d035ac6c425e))
+* **npm:** bump eslint from 8.57.0 to 8.57.1 in /dependencies ([#6177](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6177)) ([86df3f8](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/86df3f81d2309e5cdcbd979deff9403f56c38291))
+* **npm:** bump markdownlint-cli from 0.41.0 to 0.42.0 in /dependencies ([#6199](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6199)) ([1f9b00c](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/1f9b00ce5a3b3ca19240d7a60e87cc8b2741626f))
+* **npm:** bump next ([#6256](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6256)) ([6994834](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/699483443096c24e82b7244bcc8cbe214b268f29))
+* **npm:** bump next ([#6329](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6329)) ([9b2933b](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/9b2933b74cb26ee0ada336629f9d5f16bd8474f6))
+* **npm:** bump next from 14.2.6 to 14.2.11 in /dependencies ([#6157](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6157)) ([b526eff](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/b526effb8b749bc8290f1c5ec05fdc75a1ba110b))
+* **npm:** bump npm-groovy-lint from 14.6.0 to 15.0.2 in /dependencies ([#6266](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6266)) ([b8dc2a1](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/b8dc2a1466f38964184658091f4c687ebcb64ac8))
+* **npm:** bump renovate from 38.55.1 to 39.15.4 in /dependencies ([#6358](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6358)) ([3aff158](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/3aff1585265f8327e15b9f67d31e4a86da26f958))
+* **npm:** bump standard from 17.1.0 to 17.1.2 in /dependencies ([#6265](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6265)) ([22f5beb](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/22f5beb605025ac85b67eca1bfc8444f10d879ee))
+* **npm:** bump textlint ([#6305](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6305)) ([e55903c](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/e55903c2aa70f5d4b95af8dd2d1e16d1cf3eeeef))
+* **npm:** bump the eslint-plugins-configs group across 1 directory with 5 updates ([#6255](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6255)) ([5e252d4](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/5e252d43ffa66a2cdebb586ebb5277199c990b7a))
+* **npm:** bump the react group across 1 directory with 4 updates ([#6257](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6257)) ([7b76efb](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/7b76efbd69ef471b83d5273d4b5d8b3cbd8e5e3f))
+* **npm:** bump the react group across 1 directory with 4 updates ([#6332](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6332)) ([b9520be](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/b9520bea7ab85daae0eb5c2407c5c0972ac09b0a))
+* **npm:** bump the stylelint group across 1 directory with 7 updates ([#6340](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6340)) ([f9e2182](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/f9e2182dc13159432f84a91210667289eb79cd1f))
+* **npm:** bump the textlint group across 1 directory with 2 updates ([#6259](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6259)) ([2078ebb](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/2078ebbcae2a1a733a3fd998bc371f6d2f88b8a2))
+* **php:** bump the composer group across 1 directory with 2 updates ([#6249](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6249)) ([b23c022](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/b23c02219c4a7ac4498fdbb1fced0d1435bd853c))
+* **php:** bump the composer group across 1 directory with 2 updates ([#6344](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6344)) ([8638675](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/8638675681e7d24125f71d09bbd20e296a75883c))
+* **python:** bump the pip group across 1 directory with 11 updates ([#6350](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6350)) ([1f55d98](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/1f55d98b0b1f611bedf57dd26c8476d92391aba3))
+
+
+### 🧰 Maintenance
+
+* add .ds_store to .gitignore ([#6241](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6241)) ([2bdad66](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/2bdad665d3458affddba71a1eac3f21d3f06dd85))
+* add mypy to the python group ([#6275](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6275)) ([e69f036](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/e69f0364d2fd33c3ea08a4ca973762de2a4e655b))
+* configure terraform formatting ([#6092](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6092)) ([dd33b47](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/dd33b476f887b19d84d51613d3cec227d5d9d963))
+* **dev-docker:** bump node in /dev-dependencies ([#6173](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6173)) ([5367999](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/5367999a48fbfd7f917098037c96afda44e841ed))
+* **dev-docker:** bump node in /dev-dependencies ([#6300](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6300)) ([ae65f71](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/ae65f71b345f20883d58745d9715947d8893ff3c))
+* devcontainer, docs, prettier config ([#6119](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6119)) ([170cabf](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/170cabf92b9ee74a38a2c035cdd48e63d8d42153))
+* explain how to configure the path ([#6244](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6244)) ([0208181](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/02081814d883fc3401b8d3bdd67ec66ea91ad7f0))
+* **github-actions:** bump actions/upload-artifact ([#6251](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6251)) ([ec9d08a](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/ec9d08a2334522236d1a2b8566b51530364b78ad))
+* **github-actions:** bump actions/upload-artifact from 4.3.6 to 4.4.0 ([#6097](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6097)) ([00b52f3](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/00b52f36b6e86ab2277b50526b088bc294e25e54))
+* group dependency updates prs ([#6247](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6247)) ([fed55ef](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/fed55ef448dfd4e8002af9367092c4f1b7a55f37))
+* improve ignore/exclude examples ([#6088](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6088)) ([c9116aa](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/c9116aac88ffa6f475029ec2c9b2a30c365a8ce7))
+* manage php dependencies ([#6139](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6139)) ([72a4884](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/72a4884f7a37b7409b5ef2c7ab29fb552636bb74))
+* move base image to a dedicated group ([#6351](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6351)) ([99b4bf6](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/99b4bf6e025eedd387533097c25d43158c533827))
+* prepare tests for updates ([#6279](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6279)) ([6c2f03f](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/6c2f03ffb423a9c1069f0b42727b119d91f314ec))
+* shorten linter versions ([#6176](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6176)) ([fc34cb5](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/fc34cb53d9e6a866f9fbeec5c6abd638c3ac46da))
+* simplified awk usage for version extraction ([#5893](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/5893)) ([dd646d7](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/dd646d7b7feddf1e7660f8cf080a2c924ef657db))
+* update link to jscpd documentation ([#6117](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6117)) ([058b923](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/058b9239d47af5565e7c80f55ec097259ad00673))
+* update rollup ([#6203](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6203)) ([c4fe4da](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/commit/c4fe4da1f3bda7fd0f28bf92dd357fb9feeef5bf)), closes [#6197](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/issues/6197)
+
 ## [7.1.0](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter/compare/v7.0.0...v7.1.0) (2024-08-27)
 
 
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 5d14dd17..9ee29593 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache \
 COPY dependencies/package.json dependencies/package-lock.json /
 RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual .node-build-deps \
   npm \
-  && npm audit \
   && npm install --strict-peer-deps \
   && npm cache clean --force \
   && chown -R "$(id -u)":"$(id -g)" node_modules \
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b0246bf1..0cf3b853 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 all: info docker test ## Run all targets.
 
 .PHONY: test
-test: info validate-container-image-labels docker-build-check docker-dev-container-build-check test-lib inspec lint-codebase fix-codebase test-default-config-files test-actions-runner-debug test-actions-steps-debug test-runner-debug test-find lint-subset-files test-custom-ssl-cert test-non-default-workdir test-git-flags test-non-default-home-directory test-git-initial-commit test-git-merge-commit-push test-log-level test-use-find-and-ignore-gitignored-files test-linters-expect-failure-log-level-notice test-bash-exec-library-expect-success test-bash-exec-library-expect-failure test-save-super-linter-output test-save-super-linter-output-custom-path test-save-super-linter-custom-summary test-custom-gitleaks-log-level test-dont-save-super-linter-log-file test-dont-save-super-linter-output test-linters test-linters-fix-mode ## Run the test suite
+test: info validate-container-image-labels docker-build-check docker-dev-container-build-check npm-audit test-lib inspec lint-codebase fix-codebase test-default-config-files test-actions-runner-debug test-actions-steps-debug test-runner-debug test-find lint-subset-files test-custom-ssl-cert test-non-default-workdir test-git-flags test-non-default-home-directory test-git-initial-commit test-git-merge-commit-push test-log-level test-use-find-and-ignore-gitignored-files test-linters-expect-failure-log-level-notice test-bash-exec-library-expect-success test-bash-exec-library-expect-failure test-save-super-linter-output test-save-super-linter-output-custom-path test-save-super-linter-custom-summary test-custom-gitleaks-log-level test-dont-save-super-linter-log-file test-dont-save-super-linter-output test-linters test-linters-fix-mode ## Run the test suite
 
 # if this session isn't interactive, then we don't want to allocate a
 # TTY, which would fail, but if it is interactive, we do want to attach
@@ -165,6 +165,17 @@ validate-container-image-labels: ## Validate container image labels
 		$(BUILD_REVISION) \
 		$(BUILD_VERSION)
 
+.PHONY: npm-audit
+npm-audit: ## Run npm audit to check for known vulnerable dependencies
+	docker run $(DOCKER_FLAGS) \
+		--entrypoint /bin/bash \
+		--rm \
+		-v "$(CURDIR)/dependencies/package-lock.json":/package-lock.json \
+		-v "$(CURDIR)/dependencies/package.json":/package.json \
+		--workdir / \
+		$(SUPER_LINTER_TEST_CONTAINER_URL) \
+		-c "npm audit"
+
 # For some cases, mount a directory that doesn't have too many files to keep tests short
 
 .PHONY: test-actions-runner-debug
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 20a4a062..8ffeb54a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ To run super-linter as a GitHub Action, you do the following:
              fetch-depth: 0
 
          - name: Super-linter
-           uses: super-linter/super-linter@v7.1.0 # x-release-please-version
+           uses: super-linter/super-linter@v7.2.0 # x-release-please-version
            env:
              # To report GitHub Actions status checks
              GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Super-Linter
-        uses: super-linter/super-linter@v7.1.0 # x-release-please-version
+        uses: super-linter/super-linter@v7.2.0 # x-release-please-version
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           # Set your fix mode variables to true
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index e737fe5a..2275af8e 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ author: "Super-linter contributors"
 description: "Super-linter is a ready-to-run collection of linters and code analyzers, to help validate your source code."
 runs:
   using: "docker"
-  image: "docker://ghcr.io/super-linter/super-linter:v7.1.0" # x-release-please-version
+  image: "docker://ghcr.io/super-linter/super-linter:v7.2.0" # x-release-please-version
 branding:
   icon: "check-square"
   color: "white"
diff --git a/scripts/git-merge-conflict-markers.sh b/scripts/git-merge-conflict-markers.sh
index c6f72824..0142c667 100755
--- a/scripts/git-merge-conflict-markers.sh
+++ b/scripts/git-merge-conflict-markers.sh
@@ -4,15 +4,27 @@ set -o errexit
 set -o nounset
 set -o pipefail
 
-GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_EXPRESSION='^(<<<<<<<|=======|>>>>>>>)'
+GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_START='^<{7} .+$'
+GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_MIDST='^={7}$'
+GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_END='^>{7} .+$'
 
 if [[ "$*" == "--version" ]]; then
   echo "1.0.0"
   exit 0
 fi
 
-if grep -l -E "${GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_EXPRESSION}" "$@"; then
-  echo "Found Git merge conflict markers"
+declare -i errors=0
+
+for file in "$@"; do
+  if grep -q -E "${GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_START}" "$file" &&
+    grep -q -E "${GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_MIDST}" "$file" &&
+    grep -q -E "${GIT_MERGE_CONFLICT_END}" "$file"; then
+    echo "Found Git merge conflict markers: \"$file\""
+    errors=$((errors + 1))
+  fi
+done
+
+if [[ $errors -gt 0 ]]; then
   exit 1
 else
   echo "No merge conflicts found in $*"
diff --git a/slim/action.yml b/slim/action.yml
index 72ce6c90..9978eda0 100644
--- a/slim/action.yml
+++ b/slim/action.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ author: "Super-linter contributors"
 description: "Super-linter is a ready-to-run collection of linters and code analyzers, to help validate your source code."
 runs:
   using: "docker"
-  image: "docker://ghcr.io/super-linter/super-linter:slim-v7.1.0" # x-release-please-version
+  image: "docker://ghcr.io/super-linter/super-linter:slim-v7.2.0" # x-release-please-version
 branding:
   icon: "check-square"
   color: "white"
diff --git a/test/linters/git_merge_conflict_markers/git_merge_conflict_markers_good_02.txt b/test/linters/git_merge_conflict_markers/git_merge_conflict_markers_good_02.txt
index b64ccf45..08f1786f 100644
--- a/test/linters/git_merge_conflict_markers/git_merge_conflict_markers_good_02.txt
+++ b/test/linters/git_merge_conflict_markers/git_merge_conflict_markers_good_02.txt
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
+<<<<<<<<<<<<<
 Hello world 2
+=============
+Goodbye 2
+>>>>>>>>>>>>>
diff --git a/version.txt b/version.txt
index a3fcc712..0ee843cc 100644
--- a/version.txt
+++ b/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.1.0
+7.2.0