# Targeted Attacks and Defenses for Distributed Federated Learning in Vehicular Networks

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.15109 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.15109/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Federated unlearning and poisoning, one of 12 directions in LLM safety and security.
- Builds on 11 of its 22 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 16 Oct 2025.

## Placed in

- LLM safety and security / [Federated unlearning and poisoning](https://mlsanity.com/safety/federated-unlearning-and-poisoning/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [Federated Learning in Vehicular Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.01412/) (2020)
- [Trojan Attacks on Wireless Signal Classification with Adversarial Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1910.10766/) (2019)
- [Vulnerabilities of Deep Learning-Driven Semantic Communications to Backdoor (Trojan) Attacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.11205/) (2022)
- [Federated Learning for Distributed Spectrum Sensing in NextG Communication Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.03027/) (2022)
- [Jamming Attacks on Federated Learning in Wireless Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.05172/) (2022)
- [Provable Privacy Advantages of Decentralized Federated Learning via Distributed Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.09324/) (2024)
- [Jamming Attacks on Decentralized Federated Learning in General Multi-Hop Wireless Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.05250/) (2023)
- [Federated Learning-based Vehicle Trajectory Prediction against Cyberattacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.08566/) (2023)
- [Hidden Backdoor Attack against Deep Learning-Based Wireless Signal Modulation Classifiers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.10753/) (2023)
- [Securing NextG Systems against Poisoning Attacks on Federated Learning: A Game-Theoretic Solution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.17164/) (2023)
- [Distributed Federated Learning for Vehicular Network Security: Anomaly Detection Benefits and Multi-Domain Attack Threats](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.23706/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In emerging networked systems, mobile edge devices such as ground vehicles and unmanned aerial system (UAS) swarms collectively aggregate vast amounts of data to make machine learning decisions such as threat detection in remote, dynamic, and infrastructure-constrained environments where power and bandwidth are scarce. Federated learning (FL) addresses these constraints and privacy concerns by enabling nodes to share local model weights for deep neural networks instead of raw data, facilitating more reliable decision-making than individual learning. However, conventional FL relies on a central server to coordinate model updates in each learning round, which imposes significant computational burdens on the central node and may not be feasible due to the connectivity constraints. By eliminating dependence on a central server, distributed federated learning (DFL) offers scalability, resilience to node failures, learning robustness, and more effective defense strategies. Despite these advantages, DFL remains vulnerable to increasingly advanced and stealthy cyberattacks. In this paper, we design sophisticated targeted training data poisoning and backdoor (Trojan) attacks, and characterize the emerging vulnerabilities in a vehicular network. We analyze how DFL provides resilience against such attacks compared to individual learning and present effective defense mechanisms to further strengthen DFL against the emerging cyber threats.