The U.S. homeland security secretary says there are no signs Russia is targeting the 2018 midterm elections for cyberattacks with the "scale and scope'' it used in 2016.
Kirstjen Nielsen spoke Saturday at a Philadelphia conference of U.S. state secretaries of state from across the country.
Nielsen's boss, President Donald Trump, has not said Russia tried to influence the 2016 elections, and Russia has denied interfering. Trump is scheduled to meet Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But Nielsen said Friday's indictments of 12 Russian intelligence officers on charges of election-related hacking show the federal government won't tolerate incursions.
Nielsen says there's intelligence Russia is using social media to foster "divisiveness'' among the American people. She says local election officials should reach out for help if they need it.
Meanwhile, some state election officials say the federal government is doing a better job of communicating about cyber-risks as the nation prepares for 2018 midterm elections.
Missouri Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft says he now is able to reach the Department of Homeland Security about threats to election systems. He says previously the federal authorities would say they talked to the states but not always say whom they reached.
Washington GOP Secretary of State Kim Wyman says she's seen improvements in the last six months.
Authorities have said Russian agents tried to get into voter registration systems in 21 states before the 2016 elections, breaching one.
Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election.