Otter appoints new information security director

Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has appointed the state’s first information security director to enforce statewide cybersecurity policies.

Otter announced Monday that he had appointed 44-year-old Jeffrey Weak, a veteran U.S. Air Force information technology and cybersecurity office, to the position.

The appointment follows an executive order Otter signed in January implementing recommendations from a Cybersecurity Task Force the Republican governor created in 2015. The task force, led by Lt. Gov. Brad Little, recommended appointing a director of information security to lead efforts to detect, identify and thwart cyberattacks against the state

The Idaho Legislature has already allocated $180,000 to the position. Weak will take over his new role Aug. 1.