Abstract: A method for classification data packets by means of an ordered access control list (L) of at least one classification rule (Rk), comprising a step for determining, for each data packet to be classified, a value (e) used to identify a category of packet, a data packet comprising a set of one or more data fields according to the values of which the classification value assigned to this packet is determined, a said classification rule (Rk) defining, on the one hand, a classification criterion relating to at least one said data field and, on the other, a classification value intended to be assigned a packet for which said at least one said data field has a value matching said classification criterion, wherein the classification value determined for a packet is obtained in a number NB of iterations (310) starting from an initial classification value (e0) by processing, in a predetermined order, a set of NB data blocks including the set of data fields from the packet in question, the size of said data blocks being