## 4 Proposed Methodology  
In radio communication, a method of transmitting information characterized by the frequent variation of the carrier wave frequency is known as the frequency-hopping spread spectrum technique. The frequency is changed according to a pseudo-random sequence known to both the sender and the receiver. This method enhances the channel's resistance to noise. Building upon the concept of frequency variation, we propose a method that involves altering the communication path for each transmission session according to a predefined schedule. In our approach, instead of consistently transmitting data through a fixed route with the lowest cost, information is conveyed through various routes. Thisaims to introduce the difficulty in intercepting the information, thereby enhancing the confidentiality of the steganographic network system. A general overview example of the method is illustrated in Figure 1, where at time t1, information is transmitted through routes 1 and 2, and at time t2, information is transmitted through routes 3 and 4. The main steps of our proposed method include:  
Step 1: Utilize the modified version of the Dijkstra algorithm to search for routes from the sender to the receiver. These routes are sequentially numbered from 1 to n, representing route names. Step 2: Establish a synchronization of the message transmission schedule between the sender and the receiver across the routes. Based on the routes identified by the Dijkstra algorithm, the sender constructs a randomized pseudo-route-time matrix. Subsequently, the sender transmits this route-time matrix to the receiver through a channel with the highest secrecy index. This results in the creation of a pseudo-random route-time matrix, where only the sender and receiver know this matrix. Each column of the matrix represents a time point, and the rows correspond to route names. After a period of use, at a specified moment, if the sender wishes to change the route-time matrix, they will transmit a message containing the new route-time matrix to the receiver. Conversely, if the receiver intends to modify the route-time matrix, they must send a request a route-time matrix change from the sender. In this case, the sender will then generate a new route-time matrix and update it by retransmitting it to the receiver. An example of a route-time matrix is illustrated in Figure 2. At time T1, routes 1 and 2 are used. At time T2, routes 4 and 5 are used. Step 3: Standardize the usage of stegocoder and stegodecoder parameters, including keys, algorithms for transmission, and the reception of information. In Figure 3, the working model of our proposed method is depicted in detail. The sender embeds the message into a container using the stegocoder. After the message is embedded, the original container is duplicated into k copies. Each copy of the container is prepared for transmission over separate communication channels. The sender employs the route-time matrix to select k transmission routes. Once the routes are selected, each route is used to transmit a copy of the container. On the receiver's side, containers are received by employing the route-time matrix. Upon receiving the containers, the receiver utilizes the stegodecoder to extract messages from each container. Figure 1: Example illustrating the method’s concept. Determining Secure Routes for Concealed Information Transmission in Steganographic Communication Channels  
To assess the effectiveness of our method, we utilize a probability value that ensures the secrecy level, also referred to as the proposed secrecy index by the author [55]. \(P_{con\;i,j}\)--the secrecy index of the transmitted message on the \(i\)-th hidden channel of the \(j\)-th route. \(P_{con\;j}\)--the secrecy index of the message transmitted through \(j\)-th route will be determined by the secrecy index (\(P_{con\;i,j}\)) of the message transmitted over the hidden channels of \(j\)-th route.