1. A firewall framework implemented within a computer system for providing multi-layering filtering of a packet, comprising: a set of layer processors, each layer processor being capable of processing layer parameters for the packet associated with the layer processor and each layer processor being further capable of issuing a classification request that includes the layer parameters; and a first firewall engine including: a layer interface for receiving first layer parameters from a requesting layer processor and for returning an action to the requesting layer, the requesting layer processor being one of the set of layer processors; a set of installed filters; and a lookup component for identifying at least one matching filter from the set of installed filters and identifying from the matching filter the action to be returned by the layer interface.