2607004555
  • Open Access
  • Article

Privacy-Preserving Model-Free Adaptive Sliding Mode Control for MASs under Dynamic Sparse Attacks

  • Guangrui Tong,   
  • Xiaoyang Liu *,   
  • Xiang Jiang

Received: 27 Mar 2026 | Revised: 10 Jun 2026 | Accepted: 07 Jul 2026 | Published: 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

This paper investigates the data-driven consensus control problem for a class of discrete-time single-input single-output (SISO) nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs) subject to limited bandwidth resources, dynamic sparse attacks, and communication disturbances. Consensus errors are transmitted over multiple channels, where an attacker can compromise a time-varying subset of these channels. First, to alleviate the communication burden while enhancing resilience, a distributed dynamic event-triggered mechanism (DDETM) is proposed to reduce unnecessary data transmission. Second, an encryption-decryption scheme using multiple symmetric keys is adopted to protect data confidentiality. In conjunction, a data-fusion algorithm is designed to accurately estimate the true output from the corrupted and noisy encrypted data received at triggering instants. Subsequently, a fully distributed model-free adaptive sliding mode control (FDMFASMC) algorithm is developed to ensure the robustness and convergence of the MASs. Finally, a numerical simulation is presented to validate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed control strategy.

References 

  • 1.

    Xie, M.;Wu, Z.; Huang, H. Low-Complexity Formation Control of Marine Vehicle System Based on Prescribed Performance. Nonlinear Dyn. 2024, 112, 18311–18332.

  • 2.

    Wang, L.; Zhu, D.; Pang, W.; et al. A Novel Obstacle Avoidance Consensus Control for Multi-AUV Formation System. IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sin. 2023, 10, 1304–1318.

  • 3.

    Zhang, D.; Feng, G.; Shi, Y.; et al. Physical Safety and Cyber Security Analysis of Multi-Agent Systems: A Survey of Recent Advances. IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sin. 2021, 8, 319–333.

  • 4.

    Dai, S.L.; He, S.; Cai, H.; et al. Adaptive Leader-Follower Formation Control of Underactuated Surface Vehicles with Guaranteed Performance. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2022, 52, 1997–2008.

  • 5.

    Ma, L.; Wang, Y.L.; Han, Q.L. Cooperative Target Tracking of Multiple Autonomous Surface Vehicles Under Switching Interaction Topologies. IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sin. 2023, 10, 673–684.

  • 6.

    Chen, G.; Zhou, Q.; Ren, H.; et al. Sensor-Fusion-Based Event-Triggered Following Control for Nonlinear Autonomous Vehicles Under Sensor Attacks. IEEE Trans. Autom. Sci. Eng. 2025, 22, 17411–17420.

  • 7.

    Liu, J.; Fan, C.; Peng, Y.; et al. Emergent Leader-Follower Relationship in Networked Multi-Agent Systems. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 2023, 66, 229201.

  • 8.

    Ren, Q.; Chen, G.; Peng, X.J.; et al. Secure Distributed Estimation-Based Data-Driven Leader-Following Control for Discrete-Time MASs Under Deception Attacks and Sensor Faults. IEEE Trans. Netw. Sci. Eng. 2026, 13, 1754–1769.

  • 9.

    Zhai, S.; Wang, X.; Zheng, W.X. Leaderless Cluster Consensus of Second-Order General Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems Under Directed Topology. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I Regul. Pap. 2023, 70, 4080–4091.

  • 10.

    Wang, H.; Ren, W.; Yu, W.; et al. Fully Distributed Consensus Control for a Class of Disturbed Second-Order Multi-Agent Systems with Directed Networks. Automatica 2021, 132, 109816.

  • 11.

    Li, N.; Zheng,W.X. Bipartite Synchronization of Multiple Memristor-Based Neural Networks with Antagonistic Interactions. IEEE Trans. Neural Netw. Learn. Syst. 2021, 32, 1642–1653.

  • 12.

    Cai, Y.; Wang, Y.; Su, H.; et al. Bipartite Leader-Following Consensus of Linear Multi-Agent Systems with Unknown Disturbances Under Directed Graphs by Double Dynamic Event-Triggered Mechanism. Appl. Math. Comput. 2025, 496, 129347.

  • 13.

    Hou, Z.; Jin, S. Model Free Adaptive Control; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2013.

  • 14.

    Bu, X.; Yu, Q.; Hou, Z.; et al. Model Free Adaptive Iterative Learning Consensus Tracking Control for a Class of Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2019, 49, 677–686.

  • 15.

    Zhang, S.; Ma, L.; Yi, X. Model-Free Adaptive Control for Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems with Encoding-Decoding Mechanism. IEEE Trans. Signal Inf. Process. Netw. 2022, 8, 489–498.

  • 16.

    Hui, Y.; Chi, R.; Huang, B.; et al. Observer-Based Sampled-Data Model-Free Adaptive Control for Continuous-Time Nonlinear Nonaffine Systems with Input Rate Constraints. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2021, 51, 7813–7822.

  • 17.

    Bu, X.; Yu, W.; Yu, Q.; et al. Event-Triggered Model-Free Adaptive Iterative Learning Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems Over Fading Channels. IEEE Trans. Cybern. 2022, 52, 9597–9608.

  • 18.

    Yin, C.; Ren, H.; Li, H.; et al. Observer-Based Data-Driven Consensus Control for Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems with Faded Neighborhood Information. Inf. Sci. 2023, 649, 119679.

  • 19.

    Bao, Y.; Zhao, D.; Sun, J.; et al. Resilient Synchronization of Neural Networks Under DoS Attacks and Communication Delays via Event-Triggered Impulsive Control. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2024, 54, 471–483.

  • 20.

    Liu, G.; Park, J.H.; Hua, C.; et al. Dynamic Event-Triggered Consensus for Multi-Agent Systems Under DoS Attacks: A Hybrid System Approach. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2023, 53, 7223–7233.

  • 21.

    Zhao, W.; Lu, J.; Ren, F. Consensus of Heterogeneous Multi-Agent Networks Under Sparse Attacks by Integral-Type Observer. IEEE Trans. Control Netw. Syst. 2024, 11, 2064–2074.

  • 22.

    Zhang, B.; Wang, D.; Wang, F. Data-Driven Distributed Model-Free Adaptive Predictive Control for Multiple High-Speed Trains Under False Data Injection Attacks. Algorithms 2025, 18, 267.

  • 23.

    Deng, C.; Jin, X.Z.; Wu, Z.G.; et al. Data-Driven-Based Cooperative Resilient Learning Method for Nonlinear MASs Under DoS Attacks. IEEE Trans. Neural Netw. Learn. Syst. 2024, 35, 12107–12116.

  • 24.

    Yu, W.; Wang, R.; Bu, X.; et al. Resilient Model-Free Adaptive Iterative Learning Control for Nonlinear Systems Under Periodic DoS Attacks via a Fading Channel. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2022, 52, 4117–4128.

  • 25.

    Duan, S.; Chen, G.; Zhou, Q.; et al. Fully Distributed Model-Free Adaptive Sliding Mode Control for MASs with Hybrid-Attacked Topology. IEEE Trans. Autom. Sci. Eng. 2025, 22, 12336–12346.

  • 26.

    Chen, G.; Zhou, Q.; Li, H.; et al. Event-Triggered State Estimation and Control for Networked Nonlinear Systems Under Dynamic Sparse Attacks. IEEE Trans. Netw. Sci. Eng. 2024, 11, 1947–1958.

  • 27.

    Bessa, I.; Trapiello, C.; Puig, V.; et al. Dual-Rate Control Framework with Safe Watermarking Against Deception Attacks. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2022, 52, 7494–7506.

  • 28.

    Zhang, K.; Li, Z.; Wang, Y.; et al. Privacy-Preserving Dynamic Average Consensus via State Decomposition: Case Study on Multi-Robot Formation Control. Automatica 2022, 139, 110182.

  • 29.

    Liu, J.; Deng, Y.; Zha, L.; et al. Event-Based Privacy-Preserving Security Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems with Encryption-Decryption Mechanism. Int. J. Robust Nonlinear Control 2024, 34, 4787–4801.

  • 30.

    Liu, D.; Yang, G.H. Prescribed Performance Model-Free Adaptive Integral Sliding Mode Control for Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems. IEEE Trans. Neural Netw. Learn. Syst. 2019, 30, 2222–2230.

  • 31.

    Wang, S.; Cao, Y.; Huang, T.; et al. Sliding Mode Control of Neural Networks via Continuous or Periodic Sampling Event-Triggering Algorithm. Neural Netw. 2020, 121, 140–147.

  • 32.

    Guo, R.; Xu, S.; Guo, J. Sliding-Mode Synchronization Control of Complex-Valued Inertial Neural Networks with Leakage Delay and Time-Varying Delays. IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Syst. 2023, 53, 1095–1103.

  • 33.

    Zhang, Y.; Song, J. Nonlinear Leader-Following MASs Control: A Data-Driven Adaptive Sliding Mode Approach with Prescribed Performance. Nonlinear Dyn. 2022, 108, 349–361.

  • 34.

    Xu, D.; Zhang, W.; Shi, P.; et al. Model-Free Cooperative Adaptive Sliding-Mode-Constrained Control for Multiple Linear Induction Traction Systems. IEEE Trans. Cybern. 2020, 50, 4076–4086.

  • 35.

    Zhou, Q.; Yin, C.; Ma, H.; et al. Prescribed Performance Bipartite Consensus Control for MASs Under Data-Driven Strategy. IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sin. 2025, 12, 937–946.

  • 36.

    Ma, Y.S.; Che, W.W.; Deng, C. Event-Triggered Model-Free Adaptive Control for Nonlinear Cyber-Physical Systems with False Data Injection Attacks. Int. J. Robust Nonlinear Control 2022, 32, 2442–2452.

  • 37.

    Shi, T.; Che, W.W. Dynamic Event-Triggered Data-Driven Iterative Learning Bipartite Tracking Control for Nonlinear MASs with Prescribed Performance. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 2025, 68, 112205.

  • 38.

    Lin, N.; Peng, H.; Chi, R. Event-Triggered Data-Driven Iterative Learning Control for Multi-Agent Systems with FDI Attacks. IEEE Internet Things J. 2025, 12, 22036–22047.

  • 39.

    Liang, J.; Bu, X.; Cui, L.; et al. Event-Triggered Asymmetric Bipartite Consensus Tracking for Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems Based on Model-Free Adaptive Control. IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sin. 2023, 10, 662–672.

  • 40.

    Zhang, J.; Chai, S.C.; Zhang, B.H.; et al. Distributed Model-Free Sliding-Mode Predictive Control of Discrete-Time Second-Order Nonlinear Multiagent Systems with Delays. IEEE Trans. Cybern. 2022, 52, 12403–12413.

  • 41.

    Chi, R.; Hui, Y.; Huang, B.; et al. Data-Driven Adaptive Consensus Learning from Network Topologies. IEEE Trans. Neural Netw. Learn. Syst. 2022, 33, 3487–3497.

  • 42.

    Wang, S.; Liu, J.; Zha, L.; et al. Distributed Event-Triggered-Based Encrypted Control for Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems via Privacy-Preserving Approach. Nonlinear Dyn. 2025, 113, 10127–10142.

  • 43.

    Gao, C.; Wang, Z.; He, X.; et al. Fault-Tolerant Consensus Control for Multiagent Systems: An Encryption-Decryption Scheme. IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2022, 67, 2560–2567.

Share this article:
How to Cite
Tong, G.; Liu, X.; Jiang, X. Privacy-Preserving Model-Free Adaptive Sliding Mode Control for MASs under Dynamic Sparse Attacks. Intelligence & Control 2026, 2 (3), 2. https://doi.org/10.53941/ic.2026.100009.
RIS
BibTex
Copyright & License
article copyright Image
Copyright (c) 2026 by the authors.