diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
index 0f4488d..9e120c6 100644
--- a/__init__.py
+++ b/__init__.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def admin_settings():
         
         try:
             logger.debug("getting connection status with chall-manager")
-            requests.get(get_config("chall-manager:chall-manager_api_url"))
+            requests.get(get_config("chall-manager:chall-manager_api_url"), timeout=5)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning(f"cannot communicate with CM provided got {e}")
             cm_api_reachable = False
diff --git a/utils/challenge_store.py b/utils/challenge_store.py
index 62ad437..fb0c79d 100644
--- a/utils/challenge_store.py
+++ b/utils/challenge_store.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def query_challenges() -> list:
     logger.debug(f"Querying challenges from {url}")
 
     try:
-        with s.get(url, headers=None, stream=True) as resp:
+        with s.get(url, headers=None, stream=True, timeout=10) as resp:
             for line in resp.iter_lines():
                 if line:
                     res = line.decode("utf-8")
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def get_challenge(id: int) -> requests.Response:
     logger.debug(f"Getting challenge information for id={id}")
 
     try:
-        r = requests.get(url)
+        r = requests.get(url, timeout=10)
         logger.debug(f"Received response: {r.status_code} {r.text}")
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Error getting challenge: {e}")
diff --git a/utils/instance_manager.py b/utils/instance_manager.py
index 9841349..54354aa 100644
--- a/utils/instance_manager.py
+++ b/utils/instance_manager.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def get_instance(challengeId: int, sourceId: int) -> requests.Response | Excepti
     logger.debug(f"Getting instance information for challengeId={challengeId}, sourceId={sourceId}")
 
     try:        
-        r = requests.get(url)
+        r = requests.get(url, timeout=10)
         logger.debug(f"Received response: {r.status_code} {r.text}")
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Error getting instance: {e}")
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def query_instance(sourceId: int) -> list | Exception:
     logger.debug(f"Querying instances for sourceId={sourceId}")
 
     try:
-        with s.get(url, headers=None, stream=True) as resp:
+        with s.get(url, headers=None, stream=True, timeout=10) as resp:
             for line in resp.iter_lines():
                 if line:
                     res = line.decode("utf-8")