diff --git a/client/WEB-INF/classes/resources/messages.properties b/client/WEB-INF/classes/resources/messages.properties
index 367459be102..e03647dea69 100644
--- a/client/WEB-INF/classes/resources/messages.properties
+++ b/client/WEB-INF/classes/resources/messages.properties
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ label.disk.iops.min=Min IOPS
 label.disk.iops.max=Max IOPS
 label.disk.iops.total=IOPS Total
 label.view.secondary.ips=View secondary IPs
+message.validate.invalid.characters=Invalid characters found; please correct.
 message.acquire.ip.nic=Please confirm that you would like to acquire a new secondary IP for this NIC.<br/>NOTE: You need to manually configure the newly-acquired secondary IP inside the virtual machine.
 message.select.affinity.groups=Please select any affinity groups you want this VM to belong to:
 message.no.affinity.groups=You do not have any affinity groups. Please continue to the next step.
diff --git a/ui/dictionary.jsp b/ui/dictionary.jsp
index 748cc7d5b28..b048a67ada9 100644
--- a/ui/dictionary.jsp
+++ b/ui/dictionary.jsp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ under the License.
 <% long now = System.currentTimeMillis(); %>
 <script language="javascript">
 dictionary = {
+'message.validate.invalid.characters': '<fmt:message key="message.validate.invalid.characters" />',
 'label.about': '<fmt:message key="label.about" />',
 'label.about.app': '<fmt:message key="label.about.app" />',
 'label.app.name': '<fmt:message key="label.app.name" />',
diff --git a/ui/index.jsp b/ui/index.jsp
index 34f0c54175b..af5fa37c4d0 100644
--- a/ui/index.jsp
+++ b/ui/index.jsp
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ under the License.
                                 <div class="field name hide-if-unselected">
                                   <div class="name"> <span class="field-required">*</span> <fmt:message key="label.name"/></div>
                                   <div class="value">
-                                    <input type="text" class="required" name="new-network-name" />
+                                      <input type="text" class="required disallowSpecialCharacters" name="new-network-name" />
                                   </div>
                                 </div>
 
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ under the License.
                       <span><fmt:message key="label.name"/> (<fmt:message key="label.optional"/>)</span>
                     </div>
                     <div class="value">
-                      <input type="text" name="displayname" />
+                      <input type="text" name="displayname" class="disallowSpecialCharacters" />
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <!-- Add to group -->
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ under the License.
                       <span><fmt:message key="label.add.to.group"/> (<fmt:message key="label.optional"/>)</span>
                     </div>
                     <div class="value">
-                      <input type="text" name="groupname" />
+                      <input type="text" name="groupname" class="disallowSpecialCharacters" />
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <!-- Zone -->
diff --git a/ui/scripts/ui-custom/zoneWizard.js b/ui/scripts/ui-custom/zoneWizard.js
index bba6c04da79..8af873e43ea 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/ui-custom/zoneWizard.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/ui-custom/zoneWizard.js
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@
                 $('<div>').addClass('value').append(
                     $('<input>').attr({
                         type: 'text'
-                    }).addClass('required')
+                    }).addClass('required disallowSpecialCharacters')
                 )
             );
 
diff --git a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/detailView.js b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/detailView.js
index 69585ed94bc..92dfe373456 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/detailView.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/detailView.js
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@
                             type: 'text',
                             value: data
                         })
-                        .data('original-value', data)
+                        .addClass('disallowSpecialCharacters').data('original-value', data)
                     );
 
                     // Make option values from given array
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@
                             name: name,
                             type: 'text',
                             value: data
-                        }).data('original-value', data)
+                        }).addClass('disallowSpecialCharacters').data('original-value', data)
                     );
                 }
 
diff --git a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/listView.js b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/listView.js
index 4fd0b7ff3f1..ddc275e4d58 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/listView.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/listView.js
@@ -529,6 +529,11 @@
             if (!$editInput.is(':visible') || !(typeof(args.action) == 'undefined')) { //click Edit button
                 showEditField();
             } else if ($editInput.val() != $label.html()) { //click Save button with changed value
+                if ($editInput.val().match(/<|>/)) {
+                    cloudStack.dialog.notice({ message: 'message.validate.invalid.characters' }); 
+                    return false;
+                }
+                
                 $edit.animate({
                     opacity: 0.5
                 });
diff --git a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/multiEdit.js b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/multiEdit.js
index a09b0a1c816..83d1e521659 100755
--- a/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/multiEdit.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/ui/widgets/multiEdit.js
@@ -918,6 +918,7 @@
 
                     $(field.range).each(function() { //e.g. field.range = ['privateport', 'privateendport'];
                         var $input = $('<input>')
+                            .addClass('disallowSpecialCharacters')
                             .attr({
                                 name: this,
                                 type: 'text'
@@ -941,7 +942,8 @@
                             name: fieldName,
                             type: field.isPassword ? 'password' : 'text'
                         })
-                        .addClass(!field.isOptional ? 'required' : null)
+                            .addClass(!field.isOptional ? 'required' : null)
+                            .addClass('disallowSpecialCharacters')
                         .attr('disabled', field.isDisabled ? 'disabled' : false)
                         .appendTo($td);