Spybot-S&D 1.5 has quite a lot of advantages over version 1.4: improved compatibility, more effective detections and new functions. Between all the positive feedback we received, there were also some things that needed to be improved: the immunization sometimes needed to be applied twice before sticking, many users wanted the file shredder back, and it was impossible to remove entries from the user blacklist in the Internet Explorer plugin. But first of all, we apologize for the long starting time of Spybot-S&D 1.5.1 to all users. This item has been fixed now in this new version 1.5.2.

We are convinced that you will work with the best Spybot ever: Spybot-S&D 1.5.2 has all advantages, but no handicaps over all previous versions!

Throughout the next days our partners and ourselves will provide you with version 1.5.2. This version will also be available through the integrated update within the next days.

We have to admit, it was delayed a few times, mostly because we always had some new feature we wanted to implement in mind, but now it's finally here: we're proud to announce the availability of Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.5. This new version features a lot of improved detection mechanisms (which in parts were already made available through the regular 1.4 updates in the past months), improved Operating System support (Windows Vista integration, restored support for Windows 95, more compatibility with Wine, support for bootable Windows CDs), improved browser support (e.g. for immunization) and much more - you can find an overview of noticable changes and some screenshots here.

Downloads will be made available throughout the next days, and we'll try to keep the download mirror list up-to-date with who already has this newest version.

During the past week, we've added the "Works with Windows Vista" to four additional programs: RunAlyzer, FileAlyzer, RegAlyzer and TagsRevisited. All these applications already worked on Vista, but now have received enough testing as well as updates (e.g. to support Vista's UAC) to be ready to be faced with the Works with Windows Vista logo program.

Also, after struggling for months with Microsoft about Spybot - Search &D Destroy 1.5 and the more advanced Certified for Vista logo, we have decided not to get our next release certified. While we found the "Certified for Vista" logo requirements to be very useful to enforce a high software quality in general, it has a huge drawback, which essentially makes every certified security software prone to getting disabled by malware. Under these circumstances, version 1.5 will only receive the "Works with Windows Vista" logo, but at least there's nothing left blocking the release, which will take place as a beta version this week.

For those interested in the technical background of the decision:

Microsoft requires software that applies for this logo program to immediately crash when confronted with a situation described by Microsoft in detail. The background of this still is useful in a standard situation - software that has bugs should actually crash instead of just trying to hide them, so that Windows Error Reporting can log the problem and forward it to the developer. This way Microsoft can assure that applications that are part of the "Certified for Vista" program are of high quality.

However, in the context of a security application, this is hazardous: if malware writers can use a perfectly documented way to crash a security application, the overall security is greatly harmed. To avoid this, we suggested some alternatives to Microsoft that would not compromise the goal of submitting bug reports on errors that are the fault of the developer of the software. In the end though, some people at Microsoft seem to be too certain that Vista is absolutely safe, upon which we do not intend to comment, since key Microsofts employees have already done so, for example Jim Allchin or Mark Russinovich.