diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven.yml b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
index 85e05dbfdc..bfa7be45f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macOS-latest, windows-latest]
-        jdk: [8, 11, 17]
+        jdk: [11, 17, 21]
         include:
           # lengthy build steps should only be performed on linux with Java 11 (CodeCov analysis, deployment)
           - os: ubuntu-latest
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           if [ "${{ matrix.isMainBuildEnv }}" = "true" ]; then
-            echo "MVN_ADDITIONAL_OPTS=-Dlogback.configurationFile=bundle/src/test/resources/logback-test-no-logging.xml -Pcoverage,dependency-check" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "MVN_ADDITIONAL_OPTS=-Dlogback.configurationFile=bundle/src/test/resources/logback-test-no-logging.xml -Pcoverage,dependency-check,cloud" >> $GITHUB_ENV
             if [ "${{github.ref}}" = "refs/heads/master" ] && [ "${{github.event_name}}" = "push" ]; then
               echo "MAVEN_USERNAME=${{ secrets.OSSRH_TOKEN_USER }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
               echo "MAVEN_PASSWORD=${{ secrets.OSSRH_TOKEN_PASSWORD }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 547fc0d417..c038ec2a42 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com)
 
 ## Unreleased ([details][unreleased changes details])
 
+## Added 
+
+- #3209 - WARN org.apache.sling.models.impl.ModelAdapterFactory - Cannot provide default for java.util.List<java.lang.String>
 
 ## 6.3.0 - 2023-10-25
 
diff --git a/bundle/pom.xml b/bundle/pom.xml
index 4c16564fe4..166275a6f7 100644
--- a/bundle/pom.xml
+++ b/bundle/pom.xml
@@ -88,18 +88,6 @@
                     </systemPropertyVariables>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>animal-sniffer-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <phase>test</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>check</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/replication/dispatcher/impl/DispatcherFlushModelImpl.java b/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/replication/dispatcher/impl/DispatcherFlushModelImpl.java
index 4b540724c6..8b38cae5d4 100644
--- a/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/replication/dispatcher/impl/DispatcherFlushModelImpl.java
+++ b/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/replication/dispatcher/impl/DispatcherFlushModelImpl.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
 @Model(
@@ -53,7 +54,6 @@ public class DispatcherFlushModelImpl implements DispatcherFlusherModel {
     private String replicationActionType;
 
     @ValueMapValue
-    @Default(values = {})
     private List<String> paths;
 
     @Override
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public String getActionType() {
 
     @Override
     public Collection<String> getPaths() {
-        return paths;
+        return paths != null ? paths : Collections.emptyList();
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/wcm/components/impl/TwitterFeedModelImpl.java b/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/wcm/components/impl/TwitterFeedModelImpl.java
index 45c0e59ba9..6ba9280516 100644
--- a/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/wcm/components/impl/TwitterFeedModelImpl.java
+++ b/bundle/src/main/java/com/adobe/acs/commons/wcm/components/impl/TwitterFeedModelImpl.java
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ public class TwitterFeedModelImpl implements TwitterFeedModel {
     private int limit;
 
     @ValueMapValue
-    @Default(values = {})
     private List<String> tweets;
 
     @PostConstruct
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index caac77643b..9c9bf21b1f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@
 
         <jacoco.version>0.8.7</jacoco.version>
         <!-- affects both m-compiler-p and m-javadoc-p-->
-        <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
-        <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
+        <maven.compiler.release>8</maven.compiler.release>
         <!-- for reproducible builds (https://maven.apache.org/guides/mini/guide-reproducible-builds.html), automatically adjusted during release -->
         <project.build.outputTimestamp>1698267085</project.build.outputTimestamp>
     </properties>
@@ -386,19 +385,6 @@ Service-Component: OSGI-INF/*.xml
                     <artifactId>license-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                     <version>2.0.0</version>
                 </plugin>
-                <plugin>
-                    <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-                    <artifactId>animal-sniffer-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                    <version>1.20</version>
-                    <configuration>
-                        <failOnError>false</failOnError>
-                        <signature>
-                            <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo.signature</groupId>
-                            <artifactId>java18</artifactId>
-                            <version>1.0</version>
-                        </signature>
-                    </configuration>
-                </plugin>
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                     <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -459,7 +445,7 @@ Service-Component: OSGI-INF/*.xml
                 <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
                 <executions>
                     <execution>
-                        <id>enforce-maven</id>
+                        <id>enforce-maven-and-java</id>
                         <goals>
                             <goal>enforce</goal>
                         </goals>
@@ -468,6 +454,9 @@ Service-Component: OSGI-INF/*.xml
                                 <requireMavenVersion>
                                     <version>3.5.4</version><!-- license-maven-plugin 2.0.0 requires 3.5.4 -->
                                 </requireMavenVersion>
+                                <requireJavaVersion>
+                                    <version>11</version>
+                                </requireJavaVersion>
                             </rules>
                         </configuration>
                     </execution>
@@ -740,23 +729,6 @@ Service-Component: OSGI-INF/*.xml
                 </plugins>
             </build>
         </profile>
-        <!-- profile for settings when running on Java8 -->
-        <profile>
-            <id>java8</id>
-            <activation>
-                <jdk>1.8</jdk>
-            </activation>
-            <build>
-                <plugins>
-                    <plugin>
-                        <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-                        <configuration>
-                            <additionalJOption>-Xdoclint:none</additionalJOption>
-                        </configuration>
-                    </plugin>
-                </plugins>
-            </build>
-        </profile>
         <profile>
             <id>coverage</id>
             <build>
@@ -799,17 +771,6 @@ Service-Component: OSGI-INF/*.xml
                         </executions>
                     </plugin>
                 </plugins>
-                <pluginManagement>
-                    <plugins>
-                        <plugin>
-                            <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-                            <artifactId>animal-sniffer-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                            <configuration>
-                                <skip>true</skip>
-                            </configuration>
-                        </plugin>
-                    </plugins>
-                </pluginManagement>
             </build>
         </profile>
         <profile>