This podcast episode of "Decoded: The Cybersecurity Podcast" features a discussion with a mysterious expert known as Shadow Protocol, dissecting the inner workings of rootkits, a sophisticated form of malware. The conversation explores the fundamental components of a rootkit, including loaders, persistence mechanisms, and hiding techniques, differentiating between user-mode and kernel-mode operations. It further outlines the typical deployment process of a rootkit and details various methods for detection and removal, emphasizing behavioral analysis. Finally, the episode touches upon notorious historical examples of rootkit usage in cyberattacks, highlighting their significant threat.