Goldman Sachs' high-frequency trading system generates millions of dollars in annual profits for the firm Obtained in 1999 as part of Goldman's $500 million acquisition of Hull Trading Company  the high-frequency trading system has since been modified and maintained  and Goldman Sachs took significant measures to protect the confidentiality of the system's computer programs (including firewalls to limit access to the firm's computer network  and limiting internal access to the high-frequency trading program)