Exhibit 5.1
                                 PIPER & MARBURY
                                     L.L.P.
                          1200 NINETEENTH STREET, N.W.
                           Washington, D.C. 20036-2430
                                  202-861-3900
                                FAX: 202-223-2085
                                                                  BALTIMORE
                                                                  NEW YORK
                                                                 PHILADELPHIA
                                                                   EASTON
                                                                   LONDON


                                  July 24, 1996

AXENT Technologies, Inc.
2400 Research Boulevard, Suite 200
Rockville, Maryland  20850

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have examined the Registration  Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by
you with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission on or about July 24, 1996 (the
"Registration  Statement"),  in  connection  with  the  registration  under  the
Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  of 200,000 shares of Common Stock reserved
for issuance under the 1996 Directors'  Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").  As your
legal counsel,  we have examined the proceedings  proposed to be taken by you in
connection with the sale and issuance of said shares.

         It is our opinion that,  upon completion of the proceedings to be taken
prior to issuance of the shares pursuant to the Prospectus  constituting part of
the  Registration  Statement on Form S-8 and upon  completion of the proceedings
being taken in order to permit such transactions to be carried out in accordance
with the securities laws of the various states where required,  the shares, when
issued and sold in the manner  referred to in the Plan and the agreements  which
accompany the Plan,  and in accordance  with the Company's  Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

         We  consent  to  the  use  of  this  opinion  as  an  exhibit  to  said
Registration  Statement  and  further  consent  to the use of our name  wherever
appearing in said Registration Statement and amendments thereto.

                                      Very truly yours,

                                      /s/ Piper & Marbury l.l.p.