How to block applications from accessing the internet?

flea620 · Jan 16, 2009

I'm looking for an application or way that can block applications from accessing the internet. I've heard of Little Snitch. But I was wondering if there are any free alternatives since that's that only thing I really want to do. thanks.

louishen · Jan 16, 2009

Do you want to just block access to the internet or stop a user using certain applications

flea620 · Jan 16, 2009

I just want to stop an application from accessing the internet. I usually just do this on my pc firewall. but im not sure about doing it on mac.
newly converted. ;-]

dbnoise · Jan 16, 2009

Try little snitch

flea620 · Jan 16, 2009

I did try little snitch. but honestly i have no idea how to use it. and it asks me about every little thing and brings notifications about everything. All I want to do is block ONE application from accessing the internet. That's all.

technologist · Jan 16, 2009

The firewall in Leopard has an application mode.

Seriously, though...if an application is misbehaving, just delete it. It's not worth fighting.

thatotherguy · Mar 8, 2009

You can use sandbox-exec to block an application from accessing the net.

First create a sandbox profile that blocks net access. This is just a file which will contain something like

Code:

(version 1)
(allow default)
(block network*)

If you look in /usr/share/sandbox there are some profiles you can look at if you want to figure out anything fancier.

Then you run the application using sandbox-exec and passing in the profile you just created i.e

Code:

sandbox-exec -f nonet.sb application-binary

Where nonet.sb is the name of the file you created above and application-binary is the path to the executable you want to run (If the app is in an app bundle you'll have to hunt out the actual binary in the bundles MacOS directory).

the_fox · Aug 3, 2010

Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.

Click Security.

Click the Firewall tab.

Choose the third mode:
3. Set access for specific services and applications

You can click the "+" button to add an application to this list. You can select an application and click the "-" button to remove it. Control-clicking on the application name gives you the option to reveal the application's location in Finder.

Once you've added an application to the list, you can choose whether to allow or deny incoming connections for that application. You can even add command line applications to this list.