"I guess [vendors] can elect to turn off Excel interfaces, but only at the risk of alienating users," Eckerson said. "It's a real conundrum."

Despite the warnings, not all companies are scrambling to secure spreadsheets.

Grant Felsing, decision support manager at lawn mower engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton Corp. in Wauwatosa, Wis., noted that most of the BI data stored on desktop spreadsheets at the company would be of little use to unauthorized users. The company does not store personal information in the application; it stores mostly internal manufacturing data, he said.

However, he added, "I think we have the same vague concern as everyone that since Excel is the ultimate BI tool, there should be something stronger than desktop security protecting some of these assets."

Lack noted that while Mueller is improving the security of its Cognos BI tools, the company has no policies related to what employees can download into Excel, and it has no plans to address the issue. He said that users can always use e-mail or print out information if they want to distribute it without using a spreadsheet.