For modern businesses, data security is the foundation of trust and compliance. Companies often enforce strict internal security policies such as mandatory use of company-owned devices, clear access permissions for systems like GitHub or content management systems (CMSs), and defined rules for modifying data. However, when a company goes multilingual, sensitive data inevitably enters the localization ecosystem, creating significant vulnerabilities. This article delves into the security risks that localization workflows often introduce and the technical safeguards that are needed to counter them.

The Risky Data Journey

A typical translation supply chain introduces security exposure in the following ways:

1. Corporate data is transferred into a translation management system (TMS).
2. The company hires a multi-language vendor (MLV).
3. The MLV contracts a single-language vendor (SLV).
4. The SLV hires a freelance translator.

This final link represents the largest area of risk. By purchasing translations, a company grants a person with an unknown security profile access and edit permissions to its content. This could be an individual who uses a personal computer for work, gaming, and installing various plugins and software. How significant is the risk when someone with this profile gains access to core web content? The risk is substantial.

Cybercriminals often create general malware that is not targeted at a specific victim. They simply wait for any computer that has access to valuable data to become infected, perhaps via an outdated browser, a phishing attack, or pirated software. Once infected, data such as passwords and files is often published on the dark web. If this compromised device belongs to a freelancer with access to a company’s TMS, the company could become the next target of an attack without a direct security breach.

The Zero-Trust Principle

To counter these localization service security risks, we need reliable technical controls, not just policies or agreements. This is the essence of the zero-trust principle: rely on technical safeguards instead of inherent trust or promises.

People are fallible — they forget policies, succumb to phishing attacks, or may not prioritize security. Therefore, unless security is enforced, a secure setup cannot be guaranteed.

Essential TMS Security Controls

Let us look at five key zero-trust mechanisms and how they apply in a TMS environment.

1. Account Management and Authentication

Passwords alone are insufficient; multi-factor authentication is mandatory.

• SAML for Managers: For users with elevated permissions (such as managers and administrators), enforcing single sign-on with Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) via a corporate Identity Provider (IdP) is crucial. This allows the IdP to verify that the login is originating from a secure, corporate-owned device.
• Strong 2FA for Linguists: For translators — who are generally non-employees — standard, email-based two-factor authentication (2FA) is weak. If the email is compromised, so is the 2FA layer. We recommend mandating biometric 2FA or Passkeys, which are available in modern TMS platforms.
• Limiting Authentication Methods: Minimize the attack surface by disabling third-party login methods (such as “Login with Google/GitHub”), limiting access only to the most secure methods, such as SAML or Passkey.

2. API Protection and Least Privilege Access

Application programming interface (API) tokens are powerful automation tools, but their compromise is equivalent to handing a hacker full access.

• Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Every token must be restricted to the bare minimum necessary permissions. Avoid tokens with “full access across all projects.” A better approach is “read-only access to Tasks in the Marketing Emails project.”
• Mandatory Token Rotation: Implement a maximum token lifetime (for example, 30–90 days) to enforce rotation. This mitigates the risk that a forgotten, old token becomes a serious point of exposure.
• Regular Auditing: Consistently audit existing tokens, checking the owner, last use, and expiry date.

3. Network and Session Restrictions

• Internet Protocol (IP) Allowlist: This is a feature that restricts access to the TMS to specified IP networks. If managers and linguists work through a corporate Virtual Private Network (VPN), a hacker cannot log in to the account, even with correct credentials, as they are not on the approved network.
• Idle Session Timeout: If a user forgets to log out on a shared computer, a protective mechanism is needed. We recommend setting a maximum idle session timeout of 20–30 minutes. While inconvenient — a translator may need to log in after lunch — the risk of leaving sensitive corporate data exposed is simply too high.
• Panic Lock: In critical situations, a platform should offer an immediate “panic lock” option to block all users (except admins) and deactivate all API tokens simultaneously.

4. Workflow Controls

• Permission Granularity: Set access restrictions at the project and team levels. This ensures that a compromised account in the development team cannot access marketing content, and vice versa. This limits the potential damage an attacker can inflict.
• Disabling Offline Translation: The feature that allows downloading XLIFF files for translation in external computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools should be turned off. Linguist devices are often less secure than a cloud service. For both security and maintaining context (such as screenshots and glossary), translation should be enforced within the built-in TMS editor.
• Task-Based Access: If a project is sensitive (for example, localizing an unannounced game or confidential technical documentation), linguists should only have access to the files specifically assigned to their task, not the entire project.

5. User Provisioning and Offboarding

• Disabling Self-Signup: Turn off the ability for individuals to self-register. Invitations should be strictly admin-managed.
• Automated Deactivation: It is essential to revoke freelancer access immediately upon contract termination. Forgotten, inactive accounts (“ghost accounts”) can still be compromised years later, providing a back door for hackers. Use features or apps to automatically lock inactive users.

Final Thoughts

In the world of TMS security, paranoia is simply good planning. Implementing the zero-trust mechanisms mentioned above significantly enhances the overall security posture, especially in a localization environment that involves numerous external partners.

For continuous security, leading TMS platforms invest in global standards, encouraging security researchers to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities and strengthen the platform’s resilience. Furthermore, advanced solutions are exploring workflow steps that use artificial intelligence (AI) to detect vandalism or insider threats — such as changes made by a disgruntled linguist — before they propagate.

Diana Voroniak

Diana Voroniak leads the marketing team at Crowdin, bringing a unique perspective rooted in her background as a translator. Her professional focus is on driving strategic growth through content, SEO, partnerships, and international events.