Brigadier General Gregory J. Touhill was named the government's first federal cybersecurity chief.

Gregory Touhill's job will be to protect government networks and critical infrastructure from cyber threats as federal chief information security officer, according to a statement.

Touhill is currently a deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications at the Department of Homeland Security.

Touhill's responsibilities will include creating and implementing policy for best security practices across federal agencies and conducting periodic audits to test for weaknesses, according to the announcement.

Grant Schneider, who is the director of cybersecurity policy at the White House's National Security Council, will be acting deputy to Touhill.