McAfee, a security vendor, has terminated the employment of its general counsel, Kent Roberts, following an internal examination of the company’s employee stock options that found he was involved with an “improper” grant in 2000, The Wall Street Journal reports.Santa Clara, Calif.-based McAfee’s internal review is ongoing, and the company has commissioned the services of an independent counsel for assistance, according to the Journal.Both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) have queried McAfee on the subject, the Journal reports.The back-dating of executive stock options has been the focus of much attention from the media and lawmakers alike in recent days, as more and more tech firms come under investigation by the SEC, internal boards of directors, the DoJ or other entities. For more on the subject, read McAfee Investigating Stock Grants and CSO sister publication CIO’s U.S. Authorities Expand Stock Grants Probe.Keep checking in at our CSO Security Feed page for updated news coverage. -Compiled by Al Sacco Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe