If you have installed a lot of applications on your computer,  you might wish to stop and block some programs from accessing the Internet on your Windows 7 operating system. In this way you will be able to better control your computer, decide which applications really need to gain access to the Internet and know what it is going on in your computer background, while you are writing a document or watching a movie, for example. Being in charge of your computer  background processes is also a way to prevent being hacked by  spyware and malware which often attempt to connect to the Web in order to allow hackers  to steal your private file or inject viruses .

1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Click Windows Firewall.
4. On the Firewall section, on the left pane, click the  Allow a Program or a Feature through the Windows Firewall.
5. Click the Change Settings button on the right side of the window, right above the list of programs which have got Internet access.
6. Untick all applications or those suspicious features you want to check, control or know what they are for. This will stop them from accessing to the Internet.
7. Click the OK button at the end of the list.
8. Next time these applications will need to gain access to the Web they will need your approval.