diff --git a/src/lib/svg_text_utils.js b/src/lib/svg_text_utils.js
index f1b9368dc72..dfb3dced0d5 100644
--- a/src/lib/svg_text_utils.js
+++ b/src/lib/svg_text_utils.js
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ var TAG_STYLES = {
     em: 'font-style:italic;font-weight:bold'
 };
 
+var PROTOCOLS = ['http:', 'https:', 'mailto:'];
+
 var STRIP_TAGS = new RegExp('</?(' + Object.keys(TAG_STYLES).join('|') + ')( [^>]*)?/?>', 'g');
 
 util.plainText = function(_str){
@@ -252,7 +254,20 @@ function convertToSVG(_str){
                 if(tag === 'a'){
                     if(close) return '</a>';
                     else if(extra.substr(0,4).toLowerCase() !== 'href') return '<a>';
-                    else return '<a xlink:show="new" xlink:href' + extra.substr(4) + '>';
+                    else {
+                        // remove quotes, leading '=', replace '&' with '&amp;'
+                        var href = extra.substr(4)
+                            .replace(/["']/g, '')
+                            .replace(/=/, '')
+                            .replace(/&/g, '&amp;');
+
+                        // check protocol
+                        var dummyAnchor = document.createElement('a');
+                        dummyAnchor.href = href;
+                        if(PROTOCOLS.indexOf(dummyAnchor.protocol) === -1) return '<a>';
+
+                        return '<a xlink:show="new" xlink:href="' + href + '">';
+                    }
                 }
                 else if(tag === 'br') return '<br>';
                 else if(close) {
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/svg_text_utils_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/svg_text_utils_test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6d11560a105
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/svg_text_utils_test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+var d3 = require('d3');
+
+var util = require('@src/lib/svg_text_utils');
+
+
+describe('svg+text utils', function() {
+    'use strict';
+
+    describe('convertToTspans should', function() {
+
+        function mockTextSVGElement(txt) {
+            return d3.select('body')
+                .append('svg')
+                .attr('id', 'text')
+                .append('text')
+                .text(txt)
+                .call(util.convertToTspans)
+                .attr('transform', 'translate(50,50)');
+        }
+
+        function assertAnchorLink(node, href) {
+            var a = node.select('a');
+
+            expect(a.attr('xlink:href')).toBe(href);
+            expect(a.attr('xlink:show')).toBe(href === null ? null : 'new');
+        }
+
+        function assertAnchorAttrs(node) {
+            var a = node.select('a');
+
+            var WHITE_LIST = ['xlink:href', 'xlink:show', 'style'],
+                attrs = listAttributes(a.node());
+
+            // check that no other attribute are found in anchor,
+            // which can be lead to XSS attacks.
+
+            var hasWrongAttr = attrs.some(function(attr) {
+                return WHITE_LIST.indexOf(attr) === -1;
+            });
+
+            expect(hasWrongAttr).toBe(false);
+        }
+
+        function listAttributes(node) {
+            var items = Array.prototype.slice.call(node.attributes);
+
+            var attrs = items.map(function(item) {
+                return item.name;
+            });
+
+            return attrs;
+        }
+
+        afterEach(function() {
+            d3.select('#text').remove();
+        });
+
+        it('check for XSS attack in href', function() {
+            var node = mockTextSVGElement(
+                '<a href="javascript:alert(\'attack\')">XSS</a>'
+            );
+
+            expect(node.text()).toEqual('XSS');
+            assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+            assertAnchorLink(node, null);
+        });
+
+        it('check for XSS attack in href (with plenty of white spaces)', function() {
+            var node = mockTextSVGElement(
+                '<a href =    "     javascript:alert(\'attack\')">XSS</a>'
+            );
+
+            expect(node.text()).toEqual('XSS');
+            assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+            assertAnchorLink(node, null);
+        });
+
+        it('whitelist http hrefs', function() {
+            var node = mockTextSVGElement(
+                '<a href="http://bl.ocks.org/">bl.ocks.org</a>'
+            );
+
+            expect(node.text()).toEqual('bl.ocks.org');
+            assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+            assertAnchorLink(node, 'http://bl.ocks.org/');
+        });
+
+        it('whitelist https hrefs', function() {
+            var node = mockTextSVGElement(
+                '<a href="https://plot.ly">plot.ly</a>'
+            );
+
+            expect(node.text()).toEqual('plot.ly');
+            assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+            assertAnchorLink(node, 'https://plot.ly');
+        });
+
+        it('whitelist mailto hrefs', function() {
+            var node = mockTextSVGElement(
+                '<a href="mailto:support@plot.ly">support</a>'
+            );
+
+            expect(node.text()).toEqual('support');
+            assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+            assertAnchorLink(node, 'mailto:support@plot.ly');
+        });
+
+        it('wrap XSS attacks in href', function() {
+            var textCases = [
+                '<a href="XSS\" onmouseover=&quot;alert(1)\" style=&quot;font-size:300px">Subtitle</a>',
+                '<a href="XSS&quot; onmouseover=&quot;alert(1)&quot; style=&quot;font-size:300px">Subtitle</a>'
+            ];
+
+            textCases.forEach(function(textCase) {
+                var node = mockTextSVGElement(textCase);
+
+                expect(node.text()).toEqual('Subtitle');
+                assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+                assertAnchorLink(node, 'XSS onmouseover=alert(1) style=font-size:300px');
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should keep query parameters in href', function() {
+            var textCases = [
+                '<a href="https://abc.com/myFeature.jsp?name=abc&pwd=def">abc.com?shared-key</a>',
+                '<a href="https://abc.com/myFeature.jsp?name=abc&amp;pwd=def">abc.com?shared-key</a>'
+            ];
+
+            textCases.forEach(function(textCase) {
+                var node = mockTextSVGElement(textCase);
+
+                assertAnchorAttrs(node);
+                expect(node.text()).toEqual('abc.com?shared-key');
+                assertAnchorLink(node, 'https://abc.com/myFeature.jsp?name=abc&pwd=def');
+            });
+        });
+    });
+});