Cloud-computing and mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, and so on) enable employees to take advantage of consumer-grade, file-sharing programs like Google Docs, DropBox, and YouSendIt to save, edit and share work-related data and documents without ever having to speak to one another.

To be sure, the tools boost efficiency. But they can open the enterprise's doors to hackers and significantly increase the risk of data leaks, says Larry Ponemon, founder of The Ponemon Institute, an independent research center that examines privacy, data protection, and information-security policies.

"When you work in an organization, you want to have control over where the data can travel to," he says. Unfortunately, says Ponemon, even if a company has policies that require employees to get permission before using these tools, the risk remains, and control remains illusory. Once the browser box is opened, it's as difficult as Pandora's to close.

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Keywords: supply chain management IT, supply chain solutions, DropBox, YouSendIt