This specification generally relates to controlling access of a device to a network based on the detection of a network application running on the device. One example method includes maintaining one or more application profiles, each application profile associated with one or more network activities in a network; detecting one or more network activities associated with a device connected to the network; determining that the one or more detected network activities associated with the device substantially match network activities associated with a predetermined application profile; and denying network access by the device to the network based upon the determination.