# Pigeon-SL: Robust Split Learning Framework for Edge Intelligence under Malicious Clients

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.02235 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.02235/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 19 of its 31 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 4 Aug 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 19 of 19)

- [Communication-Efficient Learning of Deep Networks from Decentralized Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1602.05629/) (2016)
- [Generalized Cross Entropy Loss for Training Deep Neural Networks with Noisy Labels](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1805.07836/) (2018)
- [Stochastic First- and Zeroth-order Methods for Nonconvex Stochastic Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1309.5549/) (2013)
- [Split learning for health: Distributed deep learning without sharing raw patient data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1812.00564/) (2018)
- [SplitFed: When Federated Learning Meets Split Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.12088/) (2020)
- [Distributed learning of deep neural network over multiple agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1810.06060/) (2018)
- [Parallel Restarted SGD with Faster Convergence and Less Communication: Demystifying Why Model Averaging Works for Deep Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1807.06629/) (2018)
- [Federated Optimization:Distributed Optimization Beyond the Datacenter](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1511.03575/) (2015)
- [Unleashing the Tiger: Inference Attacks on Split Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.02670/) (2020)
- [Efficient Parallel Split Learning over Resource-constrained Wireless Edge Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.15991/) (2023)
- [Split Learning over Wireless Networks: Parallel Design and Resource Management](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.08119/) (2022)
- [Split Learning in 6G Edge Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.12194/) (2023)
- [UnSplit: Data-Oblivious Model Inversion, Model Stealing, and Label Inference Attacks Against Split Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.09033/) (2021)
- [SplitGuard: Detecting and Mitigating Training-Hijacking Attacks in Split Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.09052/) (2021)
- [Binarizing Split Learning for Data Privacy Enhancement and Computation Reduction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.04864/) (2022)
- [An Efficient Privacy-aware Split Learning Framework for Satellite Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.08538/) (2024)
- [COMSPLIT: A Communication-Aware Split Learning Design for Heterogeneous IoT Platforms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.19375/) (2024)
- [On the Convergence of Federated Learning Algorithms without Data Similarity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.02347/) (2024)
- [TrustFed: A Reliable Federated Learning Framework with Malicious-Attack Resistance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.04597/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advances in split learning (SL) have established it as a promising framework for privacy-preserving, communication-efficient distributed learning at the network edge. However, SL's sequential update process is vulnerable to even a single malicious client, which can significantly degrade model accuracy. To address this, we introduce Pigeon-SL, a novel scheme grounded in the pigeonhole principle that guarantees at least one entirely honest cluster among M clients, even when up to N of them are adversarial. In each global round, the access point partitions the clients into N+1 clusters, trains each cluster independently via vanilla SL, and evaluates their validation losses on a shared dataset. Only the cluster with the lowest loss advances, thereby isolating and discarding malicious updates. We further enhance training and communication efficiency with Pigeon-SL+, which repeats training on the selected cluster to match the update throughput of standard SL. We validate the robustness and effectiveness of our approach under three representative attack models -- label flipping, activation and gradient manipulation -- demonstrating significant improvements in accuracy and resilience over baseline SL methods in future intelligent wireless networks.