#1 G DATA Review in 2024
G DATA, a German cybersecurity company, has been protecting users for over three decades. Interestingly, the company built one of the first antivirus programs in the world back in the 80s. But how does it stack up in today's online environment?
I decided to test G DATA thoroughly to see if it lives up to the expectations. In this G DATA review, I'll share my hands-on experience with its features, performance, and overall value.
Here's what you'll learn:
- How well G DATA protects against malware and online threats
- The unique features that set G DATA apart
- Its impact on system performance
- How user-friendly the interface is
- Whether G DATA is worth your money
Let's examine and see what G DATA has to offer!
In a Hurry? Here's a Quick Summary
If you're short on time, here's a quick overview of my findings on G DATA:
What You'll Like:
- Option to use one or two antivirus engines
- Solid ransomware protection
- Customizable firewall
- Secure browser for online banking
- Automatic tuning of PC configuration
What You May Not Like:
- Complex interface that might overwhelm new users
- Parental controls didn't work well in my tests
- Slower full system scan compared to some competitors
- No file encryption feature
- Limited PC cleanup tools
What Makes This G DATA Review Different?
Many antivirus reviews you'll find online are surface-level at best, often just repeating information from the company's website. But that's not my style. I believe in thorough, hands-on testing to give you the most accurate and helpful information possible.
For this G DATA review, I spent about two weeks using G DATA on my Dell XPS laptop. I installed the software, explored every feature, and put it through various real-world scenarios. I've captured 18 screenshots to show you exactly what to expect from G DATA.
I'm not just listing features – I'm sharing my personal experience with each one. From the initial purchase and installation to the specifics of daily use, I've covered it all. Whether you're tech-savvy or just looking for basic protection, I aim to give you a clear picture of what G DATA can (and can't) do for you.
So, let's get into the details and see how G DATA performs in the real world.
Buying G DATA
My experience with G DATA started by comparing their home user products: Antivirus for Windows/macOS/Android, Internet Security, and Total Security. I decided to go for the Total Security package, which includes all of G DATA's features. They offered a nice 30% discount for the first year, which made it an attractive deal.
The buying process was uncomplicated. I clicked the "Buy Now" button, which opened a popup checkout window powered by FastSpring. I entered my debit card details, name, and phone number, and that was it – no extra steps or complications.
After the purchase, I received three emails: a subscription activation confirmation, my G DATA username and password (which they generated for me), and a receipt with a download link. It's worth noting that they provide you with login credentials, rather than letting you create your own.
Installation
The installation process for G DATA was relatively simple, but it did have a few interesting aspects. After downloading the installer, I was first prompted to choose a language. Surprisingly, only three languages are supported: English, French, and Spanish. This might be limiting for some users, but it wasn't an issue for me.
G DATA's installation screen offers language selection and installation type options Next, I had to choose between an express or custom installation. The custom option caught my attention because it allowed me to select which security features to install. While the antivirus component can't be disabled, you can choose whether to install other features like AntiSpam, AutostartManager, Backup, Boot medium, Browser cleaner, Device control, encryption, firewall, parental controls, password manager, shredder, and tuner.
I opted to install all modules to get the full G DATA experience. The installation process took about 5 minutes, which was a bit longer than I expected. At the end, I was prompted to activate my product using the username and password provided in the email, which worked without any issues.
Interface
Once installed, I was greeted by G DATA's user interface. I have to say, it's quite complex compared to some other antivirus solutions I've used. The main window is divided into 10 tabs, each representing a major security feature. You navigate between these tabs by clicking icons in the upper part of the UI.
The main tab, called SecurityCenter, displays details about your device's current security state, your license information, virus signatures, browser protection, and notifications. It's a lot of information at first glance, which might be overwhelming for some users.
The main Security Center interface highlights real-time protection, firewall status, email checks, and browser security.
One interesting visual aspect is that the red theme of the UI changes to gray when you click outside the application and switches back to red when you focus on it again. However, I noticed there are no interface settings, and you can't resize the UI, which might be inconvenient for some users, especially on smaller screens.
Major Features
Moving forward with this G DATA review, we’ll take a closer look at G DATA's core functionalities. We’ll see what makes it a compelling option and why it might meet your protection standards.
Web Protection
G DATA's web protection is a crucial feature in today's internet-centric world. It consists of browser/app protection, HTTP protection, and additional settings. You can configure these in Settings > AntiVirus > Web protection.
The browser/app protection includes a browser extension, BankGuard, and a tool to prevent keyloggers. I was particularly interested in BankGuard, which ensures your browser only displays safe and genuine content when opening banking or financial sites by stopping banking Trojans. This is a great feature for those concerned about online banking security.
G Data’s Web Protection module alerts users when it blocks access to a website containing potentially harmful code.
To test the web security features, I accessed several test links with multiple browsers:
While G DATA performed well in most tests, the results from the EICAR test were a bit disappointing. It's worth noting that the Web Protection browser extension adds an extra layer of security to your browser, but it's not necessary to enable G DATA's web protection features.
Real-Time Protection
G DATA's real-time protection is designed to guard you against threats like malware, ransomware, phishing, and Trojans as they happen. You can configure this live protection from Settings > AntiVirus > Real time protection.
The Real Time Protection settings in G Data offer multiple security layers like ransomware protection, exploit protection, and behavioral detection of malware.
One unique feature that caught my attention is the ability to choose the type of antimalware engine - you can use one or two engines simultaneously. Using one engine improves performance but decreases protection. This is the first time I've seen an antivirus offer this choice, and it's a great option for users who want to balance performance and security.
You can also choose what to do with infected files and archives (ask for desired action, block access, disinfect and copy to quarantine, move to quarantine, or delete). This wide selection of options gives you more control over how G DATA handles potential threats.
Other options include system security settings like enabling the BEAST (behavior-based detection of malware), the AntiRansomware shield, exploit protection, and DeepRay (protection against suspicious access and potential threats).
Ransomware Protection
With ransomware being a growing threat, I was keen to test G DATA's ransomware protection. You can enable or disable this feature from Settings > AntiVirus > Real time protection.
To test its effectiveness, I used a ransomware simulator. G DATA successfully stopped 15 out of 22 ransomware simulations. While this is a good result, matching the average success rate among antivirus solutions, I was hoping for even better performance given G DATA's focus on security.
Scan
G DATA's scanning features are found in the Virus protection tab, which is divided into three main sections: Virus check (the scans), Files in Quarantine, and Boot medium.
The Virus Check screen confirms that a full scan has been completed, with system areas and rootkits thoroughly checked.
To start a new scan, you click on the "Check computer" link under Virus check. This opens a new window named "Check: System areas" that shows the scan progress. The default scan is a full scan, which in my initial test lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes, scanning 618,000 files. This scan checks system areas, memory and startup areas, and performs rootkits checks and virus checks.
My first scan didn't find any threats, but after testing the program a bit more, I ran another scan. This time, it found several threats and the scan duration was significantly shorter.
The Virus Check shows detected files flagged as viruses, providing options to quarantine, log, or delete the infected items.
You can also configure scheduled scans by clicking on "Scheduled virus checks". This allows you to set the analysis scope, scheduling, check time, engines to scan with, what to do with infected files, and select user accounts for scanning PCs connected to your network.
G Data's Automatic Virus Checks settings allow users to schedule routine scans to maintain consistent protection.
The Quarantine feature allows you to access infected files that are stored securely in encrypted format. In the Quarantine window, you can choose what to do with each threat: allow, disinfect, move back, or delete.
Finally, the boot medium feature lets you create a bootable medium (like a CD or USB disk) that you can use to scan your computer for malware. This medium automatically runs on system startup and checks your PC without starting your operating system.
Email Protection
G DATA includes email protection features, specifically checking incoming and outgoing emails. It works with installed email clients such as Outlook and Thunderbird. You can access these settings via Settings > Antivirus > Email check.
This screen displays email check settings in G Data, with options for scanning incoming and outgoing emails for threats.
From there, you have several options: choose what to do with an infected email attachment (just a warning, disinfect, or delete the attachment), attach a report to received infected emails, check emails for links to malicious downloads, and check emails before sending. You can also select the engine type for scanning emails and check for SSL connections.
Additional email security settings include the AntiSpam feature (Settings > AntiSpam). It applies filters to received emails, such as adding email addresses to allowed/blocked lists, marking emails as spam if they include predetermined keywords, and using self-learning content filters.
The Spam Filter section in G Data's AntiSpam settings offers customizable rules to filter and manage unwanted emails effectively.
Firewall
G DATA's firewall replaces the Windows native firewall and offers more advanced features. You can access it via the Firewall tab, which is divided into 3 sub-tabs: Status, Networks, and Rule Sets.
The Firewall section displays the current security settings and status, ensuring that all networks and applications are protected.
The Status tab displays information about security, mode, networks, prevented attacks, and application radar. You can click on each of these status categories to configure them. For example, you can select different security levels (automatic mode or custom rules). The automatic/preset security levels include maximum, high, standard, low, and firewall disabled.
The Networks tab lists all networks that your computer is connected to. You can select any network and click Edit to choose if the firewall is enabled on that network or change the rule set.
In the Rule set tab, you can create rules for individual security levels to protect your networks. To create a new firewall rule, you click New and follow the rule set wizard. Rules include allowing/blocking applications, allowing/blocking network services, controlling file/printer sharing, and more.
Backup
G DATA's backup feature allows you to save your local data to other local drives or connected networks. The Backup tab contains two sub-tabs: one to back up and restore data, and another to select additional actions (burn archive to CD or DVD, import archives, or create boot medium).
The Backup feature in G Data Total Security shows the status of the latest backup and allows users to create new backup tasks.
You can create a new backup by clicking "New task" and following the wizard. This lets you select files/folders to backup, choose a target location, set a schedule (run backup manually or automatically every day, week, or month), and configure options related to archives, compression, and file exclusion.
The backup status can be seen and reconfigured in the Backup tab. While this feature isn't as comprehensive as some dedicated backup solutions, it's a useful addition to G DATA's security suite.
Password Manager
G DATA's password manager allows you to store and manage your passwords securely. From its tab in the main UI, you can manage your password safe and find links to install browser plugins for Chrome and Internet Explorer.
To get started, you create a new password safe in which passwords can be securely stored. After naming your safe and setting a strong password, you're ready to store passwords. This is done via the Password Manager browser extension. Whenever you log into a website, the extension will ask if you want to save your credentials. The next time you log in, you can click a button to automatically fill in your username and password.
Image Description While not as feature-rich as some standalone password managers, G DATA's offering provides a solid, integrated solution for password management.
Tuner
The Tuner is a system optimization feature that allows you to configure Windows security, performance, and data protection options. The Tuner tab includes three sections: General, Restore from restore points, and Browser tuning.
G Data’s Tuner module provides optimization tools for system performance, such as enabling security checks and tuning configurations.
In the General section, you can start or configure a new tuner process. Configuration involves selecting the options you want the tuner to perform, such as enabling a phishing filter in Internet Explorer, deleting folders with temporary files, or clearing Chrome's cache.
The restore section allows you to see and use restore points that G DATA creates each time a change is made. This
is useful if one of the executed tuning actions leads to undesired results.
The browser section lets you manage installed extensions or search engines in Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox.
You can configure the tuning process from Settings > Tuner. Here you can choose to automatically delete restoration data after a specified number of days, protect certain folders or files from changes, or schedule automatic tuning.
Parental Control
G DATA's Parental Controls provide parents or guardians with tools to control what their children are accessing online, at what time, and for how long. The Parental Controls tab includes options to select which device user to control and setting up filters for that user.
The Parental Controls section in G Data allows users to set content restrictions and monitor computer usage for different users.
Filters include selecting restricted content (website categories including drugs, porn, violence, and more), permitted content (websites for kids), monitoring the Internet usage period (choose allowed hours during specific days of the week), and monitoring computer usage time.
If you want to create more filters, you can access the Personal filters tab and click New. From there, you can name your filter and create defined lists of allowed and restricted websites.
However, I must note that in my tests, the parental control filters did not work as expected. This was disappointing, considering the importance of this feature for many users.
Encryption
G DATA's Encryption feature enables you to create mobile secure storage on your local drive, a CD/DVD, or removable media. This is useful for keeping sensitive files protected from unauthorized access.
G Data’s Encryption module shows an encrypted folder titled "My Safe," which provides secure storage for sensitive data.
To create a new secure storage, go to the Encryption tab of the main interface and click the "Create new encryption" button. You'll then choose the storage location and size of the secure storage (between 1 MB and 2 TB), set the secure storage parameters (name, file system), and add a password.
The resulting secure storage appears as a file with a .ts4 file extension and a secure storage icon in your specified location. It's worth noting that the secure storage is not protected from deletion, so you should be careful about where you store it.
Auto Start Manager
This feature aims to help your computer run faster by delaying certain programs from opening at startup. In the Autostart Manager tab, you can choose which programs should autostart with a delay.
G Data's Autostart Manager allows users to configure applications that launch automatically with or without a delay.
When you move a program to the delay list, you can choose the delay time options (do not launch, automatic, or from 1 to 10 minutes). This can be particularly useful for improving boot times on older or slower machines.
Device Control
Device Control allows you to specify which storage media are permitted to read and/or write data on your computer. This can be useful for preventing private data from being moved to a USB stick or burned to a CD.
To create device control rules, go to Settings > Device Control and choose a device - for example, data media (USB sticks). Click Edit Rules and select the type of access for these removable devices (block, read or full access). You can also set user-specified rules and device-specified rules.
Shredder
The Shredder is a right-click option that you can use to permanently delete files or folders on your device. Simply right-click on any file and choose the Shred option with the G Data logo.
The Shredder settings in G Data offer options to securely erase files with customizable shredding passes for enhanced security.
You can choose the number of shredder passes – the more there are, the harder it will be to recover deleted files. This feature is particularly useful for ensuring sensitive data is completely erased from your system.
During my testing for this G DATA review, I monitored G DATA's impact on system performance. During a full scan, G DATA consumed about 10% CPU and 900 MB of RAM.
The Task Manager displays system resource usage, with G Data services actively running and monitoring the system.
The CPU usage is remarkably low compared to the 25% average of other antivirus programs I've tested. However, the RAM usage is higher than the 500 MB average usage of other antivirus software. This means that while G DATA is efficient in terms of processing power, it does require a fair amount of memory to run effectively.
Conclusions
After thorough testing and analysis, here are my final thoughts for this G DATA review:
- G DATA is a comprehensive antivirus suite with a wide array of features that should satisfy even power users. Its antimalware detection was impressive, successfully detecting and isolating all threats I downloaded during my tests.
- The web protection and ransomware protection features performed adequately but weren't outstanding compared to some competitors. The parental controls, while offering a decent number of configuration options, didn't work as expected in my tests, which was disappointing.
- G DATA offers several unique features that set it apart. The ability to choose how many antimalware engines to use, the PC tuning feature, and the customizable firewall rules all worked as intended and provide users with a high degree of control over their security setup.
- The user interface, while comprehensive, can be complex and potentially overwhelming for less tech-savvy users. The abundance of tabs and settings might require a learning curve for some.
- System performance impact was mixed - while CPU usage during scans was remarkably low, RAM usage was higher than average.
Overall, G DATA is a solid antivirus solution with some standout features. It's particularly well-suited for users who want detailed control over their security settings and don't mind a more complex interface. However, those looking for a simpler, more efficient experience might find G DATA a bit overwhelming.
When exploring antivirus alternatives, consider Norton, Bitdefender, or McAfee for reliable protection. Also, explore our top antivirus picks for 2024.
Octav Fedor (Cybersecurity Editor)
Octav is a cybersecurity researcher and writer at AntivirusGuide. When he’s not publishing his honest opinions about security software online, he likes to learn about programming, watch astronomy documentaries, and participate in general knowledge competitions.