Most users copy-paste a 5-line blocklist from a 2018 forum post. That list is obsolete. Adobe has introduced new subdomains, shifted to HTTP/3 (which bypasses some local filtering), and embedded fallback IPs.
The hosts file isn’t dead. But treating it as a magic bullet is. Use the list above, respect the macOS-specific quirks, and you’ll stay under Adobe’s radar far longer than the average user. hosts file entries to block adobe activation mac better
For older macOS (Mojave/Catalina):
Newer versions of the Adobe Genuine Service (AGS) and activation modules have been observed bypassing DNS lookups entirely. Instead of asking the OS "Where is activate.adobe.com?", the application may have the IP address hard-coded into its binary. Most users copy-paste a 5-line blocklist from a