Secure Cryptography Usage in Software Development: A Systematic Literature Review

Cryptography plays a significant role in software engineering, its application is paramount for the security of software systems. However, comprehending and securely utilizing cryptography in software development is complicated and prone to error. To mitigate these challenges, it is crucial to know best practices and utilize appropriate tools to aid in the implementation of secure and accurate cryptography in software projects. Unfortunately, this insightful guidance is frequently fragmented to developers and software engineering students seeking to integrate these principles into their projects. With this problem in mind, we conducted a Systematic Literature Review, yielding 52 primary studies. The review uncovered a range of essential tools, including cryptographic APIs, Integrated Development Environments, and static anal-ysis tools, designed to identify vulnerabilities in the initial phases of software development. Furthermore, we emphasized the importance of implementing effective strategies, such as regularly updating libraries and selecting appropriate cryp-tographic algorithms. On the contrary, we also underscored detrimental practices, such as utilizing outdated functions and depending on unreliable sources like online forums. Many studies mention that tools are being developed and tested for elementary or high school students to start learning basic cybersecurity topics, including cryptography. There is also a trend for developers to use these tools to mitigate vulnerabilities in software developments, highlighting the importance of this topic.