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




                                  March 5, 1998

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  March 5, 1998 (the
"Registration  Statement"),  in  connection  with  the  registration  under  the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of 1,800,000 shares of Common Stock reserved
for issuance  under the 1998  Incentive  Stock 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.



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