NEW YORK (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says the growing cyber threat cannot be underestimated and government and the public must work together to battle it.

Nielsen spoke at a cybersecurity summit Tuesday. She announced the creation of the National Risk Management Center at the department. It’s aimed at guarding energy companies, banks and other industries against cyberattacks. The center will be a collaborative effort between private businesses and government on how to identify potential threats and guard against them.

The center was created as cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated and concerns grow that they could seriously damage critical infrastructure and affect millions of consumers.

Homeland Security officials said last week that Russian hackers had breached control rooms of major utilities last year. There are also concerns about possible meddling by Russia as midterm elections near.