White House to name retired Air Force general as first cyber security chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House on Thursday is expected to announce retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Gregory Touhill as the government’s first federal cyber security chief, a position intended to improve defenses against hackers, according to a government statement seen by Reuters.Touhill’s job will be to protect government networks and critical infrastructure from cyber threats as federal chief information security officer, according to the announcement.He is currently a deputy assistant secretary for cyber security and communications at the Department of Homeland Security.Touhill will begin his new role later this month, a source familiar with the matter said.Grant Schneider, who is the director of cyber security policy at the White House’s National Security Council, would be named acting deputy to Touhill, according to the announcement.