G Data Internet Security 2011 Download:

Ease of Use:  G Data Internet Security rivals BitDefender Internet Security in the length of its installation process. It's also the only Internet Security program we've seen that asks whether you want to install certain features: users can opt not to include Parental Controls (a feature found in most Internet Security packages) and Shredder, G Data's data-deletion utility.

After a post-installation reboot (grumble), users can access the G Data Dashboard by right-clicking the G Data icon in the System Tray. Unfortunately, G Data Internet Security isn't secure out of the box: the platform requests that users manually update their virus definitions, which can only be done with their username and password. (G Data is the only antivirus platform we're aware of that requires a login for virus definition updates.) G Data will also check if the application itself requires an update; if it does, the update installation will force a second reboot. User tip: don't attempt any productive work while installing G Data!

After all of that, G Data still won't declare a user's computer secure. Users must manually execute an initial virus scan. G Data also scans the user's wireless network, and raises a red flag if anything is amiss - particularly, if G Data believes the password used for encryption is too simplistic. While this is a nice additional protection (and one not provided by most antivirus manufacturers), it does add to an already large setup burden.

The G Data Internet Security 2011 press release boasts that the revised product sports a "one click interface," which is somewhat true: all of G Data's key features are available with a click (or two) from the main Dashboard panel. Still, the program requires unnecessary clicks. The Firewall Settings page, for example, requires clicking an Edit button to change settings. Other applications, such as Avast! Internet Security, provide a simple slider control on the main Firewall menu, eliminating this extra step.

G Data Internet Security extends the feature set of G Data AntiVirus to provide Web, phishing, and anti-spam protection. Web protection automatically filters out malicious Web sites using G Data's WebFilter algorithm; blocked sites can be whitelisted by users by clicking the Define exceptions button.

G Data scans not only Web transactions, but Internet Messaging conversations as well. Like most other platforms, its protection only extends to a limited number of chat applications - in this case, Microsoft Messenger 4.7 and Trillian.

G Data's Anti-Spam interface is quite powerful. The configuration dialogs support whitelists, blacklists, custom language and content rules, and keyword filtering - all fully customizable by the user. The platform employs a technology called OutbreakShield that monitors the Internet for mass mailing activity, and uses this information to capture spam messages in between virus signature updates.

The Parental Controls package included in G Data is decent, but doesn't match up to its rivals. The interface is clumsy to use, and doesn't contain as great a range of prohibited content as other platforms. Additionally, there doesn't appear to be any way to password protect Parental Controls settings - a standard feature in other Internet Security applications.

G Data Internet Security's Firewall feature defaults to its Automatic Settings, which grays out all advanced configuration options and permits users to adjust firewall security using a simple slider control. Even on the Custom security setting, however, there doesn't appear to be any way to configure firewall access for specific applications, as you can do on other antivirus platforms.