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The issue isn't really passwords where a UUID would be totally overkill, it's for things like capabilities. For example, I could put a file at `example.com/<some uuid>` and no one could find it unless I told them about it. As the author points out, my chance of an attacker guessing that url isn't 2^128 but instead 2^122. For many cases that's actually fine.


It’s 2^122. Or 2^128 if you don’t care about stupid standards (why would you). Birthday paradox is about getting collisions, not guessing.


Right, yes, guessing once specific uuid wouldn't be subject to the birthday paradox, thanks. Edited my post to no longer reflect that.




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