aes_gcm_encrypt

On-chain AES-256-GCM encryption

Encrypt bytes with the AES-GCM precompile at 0x66.

Overview

aes_gcm_encrypt() and async_aes_gcm_encrypt() accept a 32-byte key, a 12-byte nonce (or nonce integer), and plaintext bytes.

The returned ciphertext includes the 16-byte authentication tag.

Signature

def aes_gcm_encrypt(
    w3: Web3,
    *,
    aes_key: Bytes32,
    nonce: int | EncryptionNonce,
    plaintext: bytes,
) -> HexBytes

async def async_aes_gcm_encrypt(
    w3: AsyncWeb3,
    *,
    aes_key: Bytes32,
    nonce: int | EncryptionNonce,
    plaintext: bytes,
) -> HexBytes

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
w3	Web3 / AsyncWeb3	Yes	Connected Seismic client
aes_key	Bytes32	Yes	32-byte AES key
nonce	int or EncryptionNonce	Yes	12-byte nonce (or int converted to 12-byte big-endian)
plaintext	bytes	Yes	Data to encrypt

Returns

Type	Description
HexBytes	Ciphertext with authentication tag appended

Examples

Basic Usage

import os
from seismic_web3 import Bytes32, create_public_client
from seismic_web3 import precompiles as sp

w3 = create_public_client("https://gcp-1.seismictest.net/rpc")

key = Bytes32(os.urandom(32))
plaintext = b"secret message"

ciphertext = sp.aes_gcm_encrypt(w3, aes_key=key, nonce=1, plaintext=plaintext)
print(ciphertext.hex())

With EncryptionNonce

import os
from seismic_web3 import EncryptionNonce
from seismic_web3 import precompiles as sp

nonce = EncryptionNonce(os.urandom(12))
ciphertext = sp.aes_gcm_encrypt(w3, aes_key=key, nonce=nonce, plaintext=b"hello")

Async Usage

import os
from seismic_web3 import create_async_public_client
from seismic_web3 import Bytes32
from seismic_web3 import precompiles as sp

async def main():
    w3 = create_async_public_client("https://gcp-1.seismictest.net/rpc")
    key = Bytes32(os.urandom(32))
    ct = await sp.async_aes_gcm_encrypt(w3, aes_key=key, nonce=1, plaintext=b"async")
    print(ct.hex())

Encrypt/Decrypt Round Trip

from seismic_web3 import precompiles as sp

ct = sp.aes_gcm_encrypt(w3, aes_key=key, nonce=42, plaintext=b"round trip")
pt = sp.aes_gcm_decrypt(w3, aes_key=key, nonce=42, ciphertext=bytes(ct))
assert bytes(pt) == b"round trip"

Gas Cost

The SDK uses:

from math import ceil

total_gas = 1000 + ceil(len(plaintext) / 16) * 30

Examples:

• len(plaintext)=0: 1000

• len(plaintext)=16: 1030

• len(plaintext)=17: 1060

Notes

• Never reuse a nonce with the same key.

• int nonces are encoded to 12-byte big-endian values.

• Returned bytes are ciphertext || tag.

See Also

• AES-GCM Encrypt — Precompiles Reference

• aes-gcm-decrypt

• ecdh

• Bytes32

• EncryptionNonce