SEC

According to a published report, federal regulators are looking into whether trading firms that use computer systems to perform sub-second trades have an unfair advantage over other investors.

Mark Zuckerberg is telling Facebook employees that an initial public offering is "coming," leading some to believe the CEO means "coming soon."

The disclosure guidance on cybersecurity issued last month by the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance is a "game-changer," says Alan Paller, director of research with SANS Institute, a security research and education organization. But not because the rules are now different. In fact, they're not. Rather, what's significantly new is the way the existing rules are perceived.

Consumer advocates as well as many business groups have attempted to get federal laws adopted in the United States that would mandate disclosure of security breaches in which some types of private information about identifiable people are exposed. In spite of the obvious logic of having a national standard, these efforts so far have failed.

Cisco Systems plans to eliminate 6,500 full-time jobs in an effort to cut $1 billion in annual operating expenses

The SEC charges IBM with giving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes to South Korean and Chinese officials.

If you get an email offer to buy private shares of Facebook from a member of Nigerian royalty, or even a medal-bedecked Nigerian military officer, look askance at it (this time): Odds are it's an attempt to defraud you. No, really.

Internet radio service Pandora Media on Friday filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of common stock, the company announced.

Maybe the Securities and Exchange Commission should buy a copy of Quicken. That might help. (Also see: SEC looking at trading of shares in private companies)

There's been a lot of talk this week about how well Apple is prepared for the possibility that chief executive Steve Jobs, now out on an indefinite medical leave, may be unable to resume his full-time duties as CEO.

Goldman Sachs thinks securities regulations are for losers, wimps and socialists.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal published a fascinating article about the growing market for "shares" of private tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.