---
title: "system.secrets.decrypt"
description: "Decrypts the given JSON object containing an encrypted secret."
---

# system.secrets.decrypt

> Decrypts the given JSON object containing an encrypted secret.

This function is used in **Python Scripting**.

## Description

Decrypts the given JSON object containing an encrypted secret using the system encryption service. Manage the lifecycle of the returned PyPlaintext by using a `with...as` statement or by calling the `clear()` method.

## Syntax
`system.secrets.decrypt(json)`

### Parameters
|Type | Parameter | Description |
|------- | ------- | ------|
|Any| `json` | The JSON object containing the encrypted secret to decrypt.|

### Returns
A PyPlaintext instance containing the decrypted secret.

### Scope
Gateway, Vision Client, Perspective Session

## PyPlaintext Class

It is important to remember to clear the PyPlaintext instance after you are done accessing the secret. The preferred way to do so is use the Python `with...as` statement, as it is an efficient way to manage resource teardown. If the `with...as` statement is not appropriate for your use-case, you must clear the PyPlaintext instance manually using the `clear()` method. 

* When using the `getSecretAsString()` methods, the returned string representing the secret is not cleaned up until garbage collection reclaims the memory. 

* When using the `getSecretAsBytes()` method, the byte array returned is a direct reference to the bytes stored in the PyPlaintext instance. Therefore the array returned is cleared when the PyPlaintext is cleared. Refer to the **Decode Returned Java Compatible Bytes** code example below for options on what to do when the pyPlaintext instance is returned with `getSecretAsBytes`.

## Code Examples

```python title="Code Snippet using a with...as Statement"
# Decrypt the output from calling system.secrets.encrypt.
with system.secrets.decrypt(encrypted) as pyPlaintext:
    # The original secret is returned by calling methods on the returned PyPlaintext object.
    # The byteArray returned is a Jython JArray of byte type.
	byteArray = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsBytes()

	asString = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsString()
	asStringCharSet = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsString("UTF-8")
```

```python title="Code Snippet using the clear() Method"
# Decrypt the output from calling system.secrets.encrypt.
pyPlaintext = system.secrets.decrypt(encrypted)
        
# The original secret is returned by calling methods on the returned PyPlaintext object. 
# The byteArray returned is a Jython JArray of byte type.
byteArray = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsBytes()

asString = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsString()
asStringCharSet = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsString("UTF-8")

# When done using PyPlaintext, call the clear() method.
pyPlaintext.clear()
```

```python title="Decode Returned Java Compatible Bytes"
# The following two examples show how to decode Java compatible bytes 
# returned from getSecretAsBytes().
byteArray = pyPlaintext.getSecretAsBytes()

# Option 1: Use Java String to decode to a string.
from java.lang import String
stringDecoded = str(String(byteArray, "UTF-8"))

# Options 2: Convert to python bytearray and decode to a string.
pyByte = bytearray(byteArraySecret)
stringDecoded = pyByte.decode("UTF-8")
```