The invention relates to an anonymous identity classification and recognition method based on symmetric encryption, which can enable a verifier to complete accurate classification on the identity of a user on the premise of not knowing the particular identity of the user. Based on a simple challenge response process, the communication time delay between the user and the verifier is reduced. Besides, based on the standard symmetric encryption algorithm, software and hardware realization is facilitated. The method of the invention supports changes of the class to which the user belongs, and when the class of a certain user in the system changes, the verifier only needs to build a challenge correspondingly based on the new class to which the user belongs. As a universal frame, the method can be applied to multiple application scenes in reality.