AXENT Technologies Inc. announces record annual and fourth-quarter revenues and earnings.

ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 1997--AXENT Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXNT), today reported revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 1996, of $22,097,000, an increase of 50% over revenues of $14,728,000 for the same twelve-month period of 1995. Revenues for the three months ended December 31, 1996, are $7,738,000, an increase of 36% over revenues of $5,698,000 for the same three-month period of 1995.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 1996, income from continuing operations increased by 222% to $3,285,000 or $.31 per share, compared to a loss from continuing operations of ($2,695,000) or ($.30) per share for the same period of 1995. Income from continuing operations increased by 346% to $1,558,000 or $.14 per share for the three months ended December 31, 1996, compared to income from continuing operations of $349,000 or $.04 per share for the same period of 1995.

Rich Lefebvre, chairman and chief executive officer of AXENT said, "Our growth reflects customers' continuing acceptance of AXENT's strategy for corporate security management by providing security solutions across multiple platforms that meet the specific business needs of our customers. AXENT's continued growth, in conjunction with the announced acquisition of AssureNet Pathways, Inc., positions us as the leader in the information security industry."

John Becker, president and chief operating officer of AXENT, said, "We are committed to providing our customers with a broad set of solutions from a single vendor that addresses their information security needs. The AssureNet acquisition, when completed, will add remote access and Internet/intranet authentication products and significantly expand our indirect distribution channel by adding 50 plus new resellers, providing AXENT many opportunities for growth in 1997."

Highlights of the quarter include:

-- AXENT continued adding products to its suite of enterprise

security solutions by announcing the release of OmniGuard/UNIX

Privilege Manager (tm) which enables companies to control UNIX 

authority and privilege levels at an acceptable cost.

-- AXENT released new versions of two products which further expand

AXENT's mulitple-platform strategy to include Windows (r) 95,

Windows NT and NetWare. OmniGuard/Enterprise Access Control (r)

for Windows 95 protects sensitive information on mobile and

desktop workstations and OmniGuard/Intruder Alert (r) for Windows

NT and NetWare detects intruders and unauthorized activities.

-- AXENT announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

has implemented its security solutions as their agency-wide

standard. Barnett Bank chose a package of multiple AXENT products

and professional services to manage security across their

heterogeneous platforms.

-- AXENT teamed with MainControl to bring AXENT's security solutions

to MainControl's MC/EMpower systems management product suite,

enabling MainControl customers to protect sensitive company

information on enterprise networks from internal and external

intrusion and unauthorized access.

AXENT Technologies, Inc., is the leading provider of enterprise-wide information security solutions for distributed computing environments. The OmniGuard (tm) suite of products enables organizations to centrally manage information security. In addition, OmniGuard provides enhanced data confidentiality, access control, user administration and intrusion detection across the Internet and intranets, for UNIX, Windows 3.x, Windows NT, Windows 95, NetWare and mid-range systems. Headquartered in Rockville, MD, AXENT's broad line of security offerings is used by Fortune 1000 companies and governments worldwide to effectively secure and protect information systems in heterogeneous computing environments. Contact AXENT via Email at [e-mail], or visit AXENT's World Wide Web site at http://www.axent.com .

AXENT also announced that an investor conference call will be held at 5:00 p.m. (eastern standard time) to review results with investors. Shareholders who are interested in participating in the AXENT Investor Conference Call should dial 320-235-3040. The host of the call will be Robert Edwards, chief financial officer.

Statements in this release concerning AXENT's future prospects are "forward-looking statements" under the Federal securities laws. There can be no assurance that future results will be achieved, and actual results could differ materially from forecasts, estimates, and summary information contained in this press release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are included but are not limited to those listed in AXENT's registration statement on Form S-1 filed February 14, 1996, as amended, and in AXENT's quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q.

All trademarks, service marks and company names are the property of their respective owners. -0-

                    AXENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
         CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

          (amounts in thousands, except per share data)
                         (unaudited)

                            For the Three          For the Twelve
                            Months Ended           Months Ended
                            December 31,           December 31
                            1996      1995         1996         1995
Net Revenues:
   Product licenses      $ 6,275   $ 4,332      $16,002      $10,117
   Maintenance  and
     support services      1,057       796        3,885        3,174
   Consulting services       406       570        2,210        1,437
      Total net revenues   7,738     5,698       22,097       14,728

Cost of net revenues         593       449        1,912        1,747
Gross profit               7,145     5,249       20,185       12,981
Operating expenses:
   Sales and marketing     3,938     2,833       12,610       11,324
   Research and
      development          1,524     1,048        5,034        3,976
   General and
      administrative         711       717        2,483        2,393
       Total operating
       expenses            6,173     4,598       20,127       17,693

Income (loss) from
        continuing
        operations
        before royalties,
        interest and taxes  972        651           58      (4,712)


Royalty income              923         --        3,321          --
Interest income (expense)   397        (26)       1,065        (129)
Income tax (provision)
         benefit           (734)      (276)      (1,159)      2,146

Income (loss) from
         continuing
         operations       1,558        349        3,285      (2,695)

Income from discontinued
         operations         251      1,080        2,395       5,050

Net income              $ 1,809    $ 1,429      $ 5,680     $ 2,355
Net income (loss) per
         common share:
   Continuing operations $ 0.14    $  0.04      $  0.31     $ (0.30)
   Discontinued operations 0.02       0.12         0.23        0.56
Net income per common
         share             $ 0.16   $ 0.16      $  0.54     $  0.26

Weighted average number
         of common shares  11,093    9,118       10,662      9,118

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                     AXENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

                      (amounts in thousands)


                                       December 31,      December 31,
                                           1996              1995

ASSETS                                  (unaudited)

Current assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents           $   17,261       $    6,083
   Short-term investments                  18,629            -----
   Accounts receivable, net                 4,826            5,071
   Prepaid expenses and
     other current assets                     568              338

      Total current assets                 41,284           11,492


Property and equipment, net                 1,417            1,097
Other assets                                1,300               57
      Total assets                     $   44,001       $   12,646


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY

Current liabilities:


   Accounts payable and
     accrued liabilities               $    6,361       $    5,035
   Note payable                              --                900
   Deferred revenue                         3,029            2,290
   Net identifiable liabilities
     from discontinued operations             163            1,319

     Total current liabilities              9,553            9,544


Long-term deferred revenue,
   net of current portion                    --                126

   Total liabilities                        9,553            9,670

      Total stockholders' equity           34,448            2,976

      Total liabilities and
        stockholders' equity           $   44,001       $   12,646

-0-

CONTACT: Schwartz Communications Inc.

Mike Farber or Owen Davis 

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

or

AXENT Technologies, Inc.

Robert B. Edwards, Jr., CFO 

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]