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EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP,
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration
Statements of our report dated January 27, 2003, except for Note 16, as to
which the date is February 6, 2003, with respect to the consolidated financial
statements of SafeNet, Inc. and subsidiaries included in the Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2002.

Registration Statements on Form S-8

|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |  | ------------ | ---------- | ---------- |  |  | ----------------- | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  | Registration |            |            |  | 
|Name                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |  | Number       |            | Date Filed
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |           
|Common Stock of SafeNet, Inc. issuable upon exercise of
options assumed by SafeNet, Inc. in connection with the
certain agreement and plan of reorganization by an among
SafeNet, Inc., Sapphire Acquisition Corp. and Cylink
Corporation date as of October 30, 2002 (the Merger
Agreement), which were originally issued under the following
stock option plans: |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Cylink Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Stock Incentive Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Cylink/ARL 1997 Stock Option Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Cylink Corporation Amended and Restated 1994 Flexible Stock
Incentive Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |  |              | 333-103063 |            |  |  | February 10, 2003 | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|SafeNet, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan,
(Formerly 2000 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |  |              | 333-98029  |            |  |  | August 13, 2002   | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|SafeNet, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|SafeNet, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan,
(Formerly 2000 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |  |              | 333-62584  |            |  |  | June 8, 2001      | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|SafeNet, Inc. 2000 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |  |              | 333-50772  |            |  |  | November 28, 2000 | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Information Resource Engineering, Inc. 2000 Nonqualified
Stock Option Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |  |              | 333-43062  |            |  |  | August 4, 2000    | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Information Resource Engineering, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock
Option Plan, 1999 Stock Bonus Plan, 1999 Non-Employee
Directors Stock Option Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |  |              | 333-91877  |            |  |  | December 1, 1999  | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 
|Information Resource Engineering, Inc. Stock Option Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |  |              | 333-08343  |            |  |  | July 18, 1996     | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |              |            |            |  |  |                   | 

Registration Statements on Form S-3

|             |  |                  
|------------ |  | -----------------
|Registration |  |                  
|Number       |  | Date Filed       
|             |  |                  
|333-89282    |  | June 18, 2002    
|333-89282    |  | June 12, 2002    
|333-89282    |  | May 29, 2002     
|333-93371    |  | December 22, 1999
|333-90237    |  | November 3, 1999 
|333-04907    |  | May 31, 1996     
|033-94046    |  | August 18, 1995  
|033-94046    |  | June 28, 1995    

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP.
Baltimore, Maryland
March 28, 2003