# util.beauty Symmetric Cryptography

> util.beauty Symmetric Cryptography is a paid API for AI agents from util.beauty, paid per call via x402, $0.002/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-14).

Encrypts or decrypts data using symmetric cryptographic algorithms via a metered pay-per-request API

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://util.beauty/v1/crypto/symmetric
- Price: $0.002/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-14
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/util-beauty-symmetric-cryptography-9567c24d
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_usCxo_-99Y4AcpXvtqzLm

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability util-beauty-symmetric-cryptography-9567c24d -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Encrypt the string 'my-secret-api-key-12345' using symmetric encryption — I need to store it safely and will decrypt it later with the same key.

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need quick, serverless symmetric encryption or decryption without managing your own crypto infrastructure, especially in agent workflows that benefit from pay-per-use pricing via x402 USDC micropayments. Ideal for one-off encryption tasks, protecting secrets before storage, or decrypting partner payloads in an AI pipeline where spinning up dedicated crypto services is overkill.

## Known failure modes

- Invalid or missing encryption key returns an error response
- Unsupported algorithm specified causes a 400-level error
- Malformed ciphertext during decryption results in a decryption failure
- Insufficient prepaid credits or failed x402 payment blocks the request
- Missing required body fields returns a validation error

## How this service works

Metered web utilities for developers and AI agents: browser screenshot and PDF, crypto, DNS and net tools. Pay per request with x402 (USDC on Base) or prepaid API keys.

## Output

A JSON object containing a boolean 'ok' field, the utility name used, a unique requestId for tracking, the charged credits consumed, and the encrypted or decrypted result data.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "properties": {
    "body": {
     "type": "object",
     "description": "JSON request body (see OpenAPI for the utility schema).",
     "additionalProperties": true
    }
   }
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "properties": {
    "example": {
     "type": "object",
     "properties": {
      "ok": {
       "type": "boolean"
      },
      "utility": {
       "type": "string"
      },
      "requestId": {
       "type": "string"
      },
      "chargedCredits": {
       "type": "number"
      }
     },
     "additionalProperties": true
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "ok": true,
  "utility": "…",
  "requestId": "req_…",
  "chargedCredits": 1
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/util-beauty-symmetric-cryptography-9567c24d/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from util.beauty](https://www.zero.xyz/host/util.beauty/llms.txt)