How to Block Internet Access for Certain Applications

Security when working with a Windows based computer is paramount in most cases. This is due to many reasons, among them the widespread use that we make today of the equipment and the software that we install in them.

But that is not all, but at the same time we must bear in mind that over the years, dealing with confidential information is increasingly common. Here we talk about files and folders that we use in both professional and personal settings. That is why all the measures we take in this regard are few. With all this, what is intended in most cases is to safeguard the security of the PC and the system.

block internet access

Keep the data stored on your computer safe in Windows

For this, in most cases, we usually use certain specific programs for all this. This is the case of the antivirus that we should all have installed on the PC almost obligatorily. For this, the use of Windows Defender is more than enough, for example, the antivirus that comes from the beginning with Windows 10.

Windows defender aplicaciones

This is a security solution that will help a lot to protect us against all kinds of malware, but it is not the only one that we can use. At the same time we can use third-party antivirus of the many existing at the moment. In fact, there are solutions of this type that have been with us for many years and that have earned the reputation that they already have at the moment.

However, these are not the only protection solutions that we can use in the latest versions of Windows 10 . We tell you this because the operating system at the same time makes available to us other functions and integrated applications that will serve us. For example, we must bear in mind that the activity carried out on the network by a specific application can be dangerous.

This is something that becomes especially evident in the event that such software is malicious without us knowing it. Thus, in the event that we suspect that an installed application has il-legal network activity , even without being sure, we must act. The first thing to do is try to uninstall it, for example from the System Control Panel.

Desinstalar programas panel de control

But that is not all, in addition to uninstalling it, we can also block its access to the network and thus minimize risks. Of course, these types of malicious acts are often carried out in the background, all without our being fully aware of it. But the blocking of certain software is not only extensible to malicious applications , but to other types.

Blocks network access for certain applications

For example, this is useful if we know that a program tends to consume a lot of network bandwidth while running in the background. Therefore, at this point, we can use a built-in firewall rule in Windows itself to block network access from that program, or any other third-party firewall . Furthermore, this is something that we can carry out simply and effectively. For all this, the first thing we do is open the Control Panel and place ourselves in the System and Security group .

Sistema y seguridad panel de control

So we have to click on the Windows Defender Firewall option, although we can also access it in other somewhat more complex ways. Thus, in the window that opens next, we click on Advanced settings located in the left column. Keep in mind that for these changes that we are going to make, we need to have administrator permissions.

At this point, the Windows Defender Security and Firewall window will open, so in the left section we see an option called Exit Rules, which we click on.

Reglas de salida firewall

Create a new personal rule in Windows Firewall

Next we have to create a new rule, something that we find in the right part of the main interface of the Firewall, as we mentioned. Thus, in the window that opens we select Program and click Next. On the next screen we will have to indicate to the functionality, the path of the application that we want to block at this moment. In this way and after selecting the corresponding executable file that interests us here, on the screens that follow we do not have to modify any more parameters.

Firewall programa regla

Of course, what we have to do is necessarily specify a name for the new rule that we have defined. It is recommended that this be somewhat descriptive about what the rule as such actually does. Therefore, once we have followed the steps that we have mentioned, this will be activated by default. As we will see later, the next time the application in question tries to establish an Internet connection to download something, it will not be able to do so.

At the same time we must keep in mind that we will not be able to know that Internet access has been blocked at the Firewall level. Therefore, it is recommended that we write it down or remember it well in case we need the program to reconnect later.