diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2c7f4f5a60e..b305d21b83e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ## [`master`](https://github.com/elastic/eui/tree/master)
 
+- Attach `noreferrer` also to links without `target="_blank"` ([#2008](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/2008))
 - Convert observer utility components to TypeScript ([#2009](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/2009))
 
 **Bug fixes**
diff --git a/src/components/breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/breadcrumbs.test.js.snap b/src/components/breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
index ed66e449236..a943c2202f3 100644
--- a/src/components/breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ exports[`EuiBreadcrumbs is rendered 1`] = `
     class="euiLink euiLink--subdued euiBreadcrumb customClass"
     data-test-subj="breadcrumbsAnimals"
     href="#"
+    rel="noreferrer"
     title="[object Object]"
   >
     <span>
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ exports[`EuiBreadcrumbs is rendered 1`] = `
   <a
     class="euiLink euiLink--subdued euiBreadcrumb euiBreadcrumb--truncate"
     href="#"
+    rel="noreferrer"
     title="Boa constrictor"
   >
     Boa constrictor
diff --git a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
index ffee19bb4d1..8de3efb69bf 100644
--- a/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/context_menu/__snapshots__/context_menu_item.test.js.snap
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props href renders a link 1`] = `
   class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
   data-test-subj="test subject string"
   href="url"
+  rel="noreferrer"
 >
   <span
     class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ exports[`EuiContextMenuItem props rel is rendered 1`] = `
   class="euiContextMenuItem testClass1 testClass2"
   data-test-subj="test subject string"
   href="url"
-  rel="help"
+  rel="help noreferrer"
 >
   <span
     class="euiContextMenu__itemLayout"
diff --git a/src/components/header/header_breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/header_breadcrumbs.test.js.snap b/src/components/header/header_breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/header_breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
index 6a061b19738..5ee970627e8 100644
--- a/src/components/header/header_breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/header_breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/header/header_breadcrumbs/__snapshots__/header_breadcrumbs.test.js.snap
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ exports[`EuiHeaderBreadcrumbs is rendered 1`] = `
     class="euiLink euiLink--subdued euiBreadcrumb customClass"
     data-test-subj="breadcrumbsAnimals"
     href="#"
+    rel="noreferrer"
     title="[object Object]"
   >
     <span>
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ exports[`EuiHeaderBreadcrumbs is rendered 1`] = `
   <a
     class="euiLink euiLink--subdued euiBreadcrumb"
     href="#"
+    rel="noreferrer"
     title="Boa constrictor"
   >
     Boa constrictor
diff --git a/src/components/link/__snapshots__/link.test.js.snap b/src/components/link/__snapshots__/link.test.js.snap
index 8f7f7b4a20b..ca0d0a58e83 100644
--- a/src/components/link/__snapshots__/link.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/link/__snapshots__/link.test.js.snap
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ exports[`EuiLink it supports both href and onClick 1`] = `
 <a
   class="euiLink euiLink--primary"
   href="/imalink"
+  rel="noreferrer"
 />
 `;
 
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ exports[`EuiLink supports children 1`] = `
 <a
   class="euiLink euiLink--primary"
   href="#"
+  rel="noreferrer"
 >
   <span>
     Hiya!!!
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ exports[`EuiLink supports href 1`] = `
 <a
   class="euiLink euiLink--primary"
   href="/baz/bing"
+  rel="noreferrer"
 />
 `;
 
@@ -94,7 +97,7 @@ exports[`EuiLink supports rel 1`] = `
 <a
   class="euiLink euiLink--primary"
   href="hoi"
-  rel="stylesheet"
+  rel="noreferrer stylesheet"
 />
 `;
 
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ exports[`EuiLink supports target 1`] = `
 <a
   class="euiLink euiLink--primary"
   href="#"
+  rel="noreferrer"
   target="_parent"
 />
 `;
diff --git a/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.test.ts b/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.test.ts
index 530946a45a1..d6d59dac110 100644
--- a/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { getSecureRelForTarget } from './get_secure_rel_for_target';
 
 describe('getSecureRelForTarget', () => {
-  describe('returns rel', () => {
+  describe('returns rel and noreferrer', () => {
     test('when target is not supplied', () => {
       expect(
         getSecureRelForTarget({
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe('getSecureRelForTarget', () => {
           target: undefined,
           rel: 'hello',
         })
-      ).toBe('hello');
+      ).toBe('hello noreferrer');
     });
 
     test('when target is empty', () => {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ describe('getSecureRelForTarget', () => {
           target: '',
           rel: 'hello',
         })
-      ).toBe('hello');
+      ).toBe('hello noreferrer');
     });
 
     test('when target is not _blank', () => {
@@ -29,17 +29,7 @@ describe('getSecureRelForTarget', () => {
           target: '_self',
           rel: 'hello',
         })
-      ).toBe('hello');
-    });
-
-    test('when target is undefined', () => {
-      expect(
-        getSecureRelForTarget({
-          href: undefined,
-          target: undefined,
-          rel: 'hello',
-        })
-      ).toBe('hello');
+      ).toBe('hello noreferrer');
     });
   });
 
@@ -156,4 +146,26 @@ describe('getSecureRelForTarget', () => {
       ).toBe('nofollow noopener');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('returns no noreferrer when domain is safe without target _blank', () => {
+    test('when target and rel is undefined', () => {
+      expect(
+        getSecureRelForTarget({
+          href: 'http://discuss.elastic.co',
+          target: undefined,
+          rel: undefined,
+        })
+      ).toBe('');
+    });
+
+    test('when rel is specified', () => {
+      expect(
+        getSecureRelForTarget({
+          href: 'https://discuss.elastic.co',
+          target: undefined,
+          rel: 'nofollow',
+        })
+      ).toBe('nofollow');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.ts b/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.ts
index 7002d2167e9..9083a4b22ae 100644
--- a/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.ts
+++ b/src/services/security/get_secure_rel_for_target.ts
@@ -7,30 +7,26 @@ import { isDomainSecure } from '../url';
 
 export const getSecureRelForTarget = ({
   href,
-  target,
+  target = '',
   rel,
 }: {
   href?: string;
   target?: '_blank' | '_self' | '_parent' | '_top' | string;
   rel?: string;
 }) => {
-  if (!target || !target.includes('_blank')) {
-    return rel;
-  }
-
   const isElasticHref = !!href && isDomainSecure(href);
   const relParts = !!rel
     ? filter(rel.split(' '), part => !!part.length && part !== 'noreferrer')
     : [];
 
-  if (relParts.indexOf('noopener') === -1) {
-    relParts.push('noopener');
-  }
-
   if (!isElasticHref) {
     relParts.push('noreferrer');
   }
 
+  if (target.includes('_blank') && relParts.indexOf('noopener') === -1) {
+    relParts.push('noopener');
+  }
+
   return relParts
     .sort()
     .join(' ')