Translation Management
Translation Management technologies encompass a range of software and platforms designed to streamline and automate translating content into multiple languages. These technologies typically include features such as:
Translation memory: Stores previously translated segments to increase efficiency and consistency.
Terminology management: Creates and manages approved term glossaries to ensure accuracy and brand consistency.
Machine translation: Machine translation uses artificial intelligence to translate text, often as a first draft automatically.
Collaboration tools: Enables collaboration between translators, reviewers, and project managers.
Importance of Knowing If Your Organization uses these Technologies:
Knowing whether these technologies are used within your organization, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, is crucial for several reasons:
Data Privacy and Confidentiality: Translation often involves sensitive or confidential information. Organizations must ensure that their translation management technology complies with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). Unsanctioned use can lead to non-compliance and potential data breaches.
Intellectual Property Protection: Translation projects may include valuable intellectual property (IP). Using unauthorized or insecure translation platforms can risk exposing this IP to unauthorized parties.
Quality Control and Brand Consistency: It is essential to maintain consistent messaging and brand voice across multiple languages. Unsanctioned use of translation tools can lead to inconsistent translations and damage brand reputation.
Cost Management: Translation projects can be expensive. Having visibility into all translation activities, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, allows organizations to manage costs effectively.
Security Vulnerabilities: Translation management platforms, especially those hosted in the cloud, can have vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Regular security audits and updates are essential to mitigate risks.
Smartling and Cybersecurity Concerns:
Smartling is a popular cloud-based translation management platform. While Smartling takes security seriously, organizations should be aware of potential risks associated with any cloud-based platform:
Data Breaches: Smartling is a cloud-based platform That stores and processes sensitive data. Organizations must ensure that Smartling's security measures are adequate and regularly reviewed.
Third-Party Risks: Smartling may use third-party services for specific functionalities. Organizations should assess the security practices of these third-party vendors.
Account Security: To prevent unauthorized access, use strong password policies and multi-factor authentication for Smartling accounts.
Identifying On-Premise and Cloud Deployments:
Identifying whether translation management technologies are deployed on-premise or in the cloud is crucial. On-premise deployments may offer more control over data and security, but cloud-based solutions often provide greater scalability and flexibility. Organizations must weigh the risks and benefits of each deployment model and implement appropriate security measures accordingly.
Recommendations:
To address these cybersecurity concerns, organizations should:
Conduct a Thorough Inventory: Identify all translation management technologies used within the organization, both sanctioned and unsanctioned.
Evaluate Security Measures: Assess the security of all translation management platforms, including cloud-based and on-premise solutions.
Implement Access Controls: Limit access to sensitive data and systems to authorized personnel only.
Regularly Update and Patch Software: Ensure all translation management software is up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Educate Employees: Train employees on cybersecurity best practices and the risks associated with unsanctioned technology use.
By taking these steps, organizations can effectively manage the risks associated with translation management technologies, protect their sensitive data, and ensure high-quality translations.
ThreatNG's comprehensive suite of EASM, DRP, and Security Ratings solutions provides a multi-pronged approach to identifying and managing the risks associated with translation management technologies used by your organization, third parties, and supply chain.
External Attack Surface Management (EASM): ThreatNG continuously scans the internet to discover all externally visible digital assets associated with your organization. This includes identifying any instances of translation management technologies used on websites, mobile apps, or cloud services. By discovering these technologies, ThreatNG can help you assess potential vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that could lead to data breaches or unauthorized access.
Digital Risk Protection (DRP): ThreatNG monitors the dark web, social media, and other online channels for mentions of your organization, brands, or sensitive data. This includes detecting any leaked credentials or discussing potential security flaws in your translation management technologies. By identifying these threats early on, you can proactively mitigate the risks.
Security Ratings: ThreatNG provides a comprehensive risk score based on an analysis of your organization's external attack surface and digital risk profile. This score includes an assessment of the security posture of your organization's translation management technologies. Understanding your security rating allows you to prioritize remediation efforts and benchmark your security posture against industry peers.
Working with Complementary Solutions:
ThreatNG can integrate with other cybersecurity solutions to provide a more holistic approach to risk management. Here are some examples:
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): ThreatNG can alert DLP solutions when it detects sensitive data being processed or transmitted through translation management platforms. This can help prevent the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): ThreatNG can feed its findings into SIEM platforms to provide a centralized view of security events and enable faster incident response.
Vulnerability Management: ThreatNG can identify vulnerabilities in translation management technology implementations and prioritize their remediation based on risk.
Example Workflow:
Discovery: ThreatNG continuously discovers all digital assets associated with your organization, including any instances of translation management technologies.
Risk Assessment: ThreatNG analyzes the discovered assets and identifies potential risks associated with using these technologies, such as vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or data leakage.
Prioritization: ThreatNG prioritizes the identified risks based on their severity and potential impact.
Remediation: ThreatNG integrates with other cybersecurity solutions, such as DLP or SIEM, to trigger automated or manual remediation actions.
Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG continuously monitors the digital landscape for new threats and vulnerabilities related to translation management technologies.
Overall Benefits:
By implementing ThreatNG, organizations can realize the following benefits:
Improved Visibility: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the translation management technologies used by your organization, third parties, and supply chain.
Reduced Risk: Identify and mitigate potential security risks associated with these technologies.
Enhanced Compliance: Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Improved Security Posture: Benchmark your security posture against industry peers and prioritize remediation efforts.
Cost Savings: Automate security tasks and reduce the risk of costly data breaches.
ThreatNG offers a powerful solution for organizations seeking to identify and manage the risks associated with translation management technologies. By providing comprehensive visibility, risk assessment, and remediation capabilities, ThreatNG can help organizations protect their sensitive data, comply with regulations, and improve their overall security posture.
