Former Air Force general named first U.S. cyber security chief

Gregory Touhill, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, has been named by the White House as the first federal cyber security chief.

There have been several recent high profile breaches, with U.S. intelligence officials suspecting Russia of masterminding hacks of state election systems and Democratic political organizations, and Touhill will be charged with protecting government networks and infrastructure from cyber threats, conducting periodic audits to test for weaknesses, and implementing best security practices across federal agencies, Reuters reports. The position was announced by President Obama in February, and because it's a political appointment, Touhill could be replaced next January when the next president takes office.

Touhill is now serving as deputy assistant secretary for cyber security and communications at the Department of Homeland Security, and is expected to start his new role later this month.

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