diff --git a/src/_components/SiteFooter.tsx b/src/_components/SiteFooter.tsx
index 2357e4e..894b9fa 100644
--- a/src/_components/SiteFooter.tsx
+++ b/src/_components/SiteFooter.tsx
@@ -6,46 +6,46 @@
  * Source: TDS § 3 wireframe (lines 557–574)
  */
 
+import { enrichCtaSectionData } from "@/lib/cta-channels";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/prisma";
+import type { CtaSectionData } from "@/types";
 
 export async function SiteFooter() {
   const currentYear = new Date().getFullYear();
 
-  // Fetch the canonical CTA section by slug for predictable data
   const ctaSection = await prisma.section.findFirst({
     where: { slug: "cta-default" },
     select: { data: true },
   });
 
-  const channels: any[] = (ctaSection?.data as any)?.channels || [];
+  const ctaData = enrichCtaSectionData(
+    (ctaSection?.data as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {}
+  ) as unknown as CtaSectionData;
+  const channels = ctaData.channels ?? [];
 
   return (
     <footer className="w-full border-t border-border bg-surface">
       <div className="container mx-auto flex max-w-7xl flex-col items-center justify-between gap-6 px-4 py-8 sm:flex-row">
         {/* Lightweight CTA */}
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-center gap-x-4 gap-y-2">
+          <a
+            href="/files/resume.pdf"
+            target="_blank"
+            className="text-sm text-secondary transition-colors duration-150 hover:text-accent"
+          >
+            Resume
+          </a>
           {channels.map((channel) => (
             <a
               key={channel.short_label || channel.label}
               href={channel.href}
-              target="_blank"
-              rel={
-                channel.href.includes("https://")
-                  ? "noopener noreferrer"
-                  : undefined
-              }
+              target={channel.target}
+              rel={channel.rel}
               className="text-sm text-secondary transition-colors duration-150 hover:text-accent"
             >
               {channel.short_label || channel.label}
             </a>
           ))}
-          <a
-            href="/files/resume.pdf"
-            target="_blank"
-            className="text-sm text-secondary transition-colors duration-150 hover:text-accent"
-          >
-            Resume
-          </a>
         </div>
 
         {/* Legal */}
diff --git a/src/_components/sections/CTASection.tsx b/src/_components/sections/CTASection.tsx
index 5c56e95..8b25097 100644
--- a/src/_components/sections/CTASection.tsx
+++ b/src/_components/sections/CTASection.tsx
@@ -5,18 +5,7 @@
  * Source: TDS § 3 wireframe (lines 499–537)
  */
 
-interface CTAChannel {
-  label: string;
-  href: string;
-  icon: string;
-  micro_copy: string;
-}
-
-interface CTAData {
-  heading: string;
-  subheading?: string;
-  channels: CTAChannel[];
-}
+import type { CtaSectionData } from "@/types";
 
 /** Inline SVG icons for the four CTA channels */
 function ChannelIcon({ icon }: { icon: string }) {
@@ -53,7 +42,7 @@ function ChannelIcon({ icon }: { icon: string }) {
 }
 
 export function CTASection({ data }: { data: Record<string, unknown> }) {
-  const { heading, subheading, channels } = data as unknown as CTAData;
+  const { heading, subheading, channels } = data as unknown as CtaSectionData;
 
   return (
     <section className="w-full py-16 md:py-24">
@@ -69,8 +58,8 @@ export function CTASection({ data }: { data: Record<string, unknown> }) {
             <a
               key={channel.icon}
               href={channel.href}
-              target="_blank"
-              rel="noopener noreferrer"
+              target={channel.target}
+              rel={channel.rel}
               className="group flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface p-6 text-center transition-colors duration-200 hover:border-accent hover:bg-background"
             >
               <ChannelIcon icon={channel.icon} />
diff --git a/src/lib/cta-channels.test.ts b/src/lib/cta-channels.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ebe32e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/cta-channels.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  enrichCtaChannel,
+  enrichCtaSectionData,
+  getCtaChannelLinkAttributes,
+  isThirdPartyHref,
+} from "./cta-channels";
+
+describe("isThirdPartyHref", () => {
+  it("treats LinkedIn as third-party", () => {
+    expect(isThirdPartyHref("https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-lindsay-us/")).toBe(
+      true
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("treats mailto as third-party", () => {
+    expect(isThirdPartyHref("mailto:info@fastdogcoding.com")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("treats Cal.com as third-party", () => {
+    expect(isThirdPartyHref("https://cal.com/grant-lindsay-7wiujq/25min")).toBe(
+      true
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("treats Fast Dog Coding apps as first-party", () => {
+    expect(
+      isThirdPartyHref("https://candidate-concierge.fastdogcoding.com/")
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(isThirdPartyHref("https://fastdogcoding.com/gallery")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("treats same-site paths as first-party", () => {
+    expect(isThirdPartyHref("/gallery")).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("getCtaChannelLinkAttributes", () => {
+  it("opens third-party links in a new tab with noopener noreferrer", () => {
+    expect(getCtaChannelLinkAttributes("https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-lindsay-us/")).toEqual({
+      target: "_blank",
+      rel: "noopener noreferrer",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("opens mailto links in a new tab with noopener noreferrer", () => {
+    expect(getCtaChannelLinkAttributes("mailto:info@fastdogcoding.com")).toEqual({
+      target: "_blank",
+      rel: "noopener noreferrer",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("opens first-party apps in a new tab without rel", () => {
+    expect(
+      getCtaChannelLinkAttributes("https://candidate-concierge.fastdogcoding.com/")
+    ).toEqual({
+      target: "_blank",
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("enrichCtaSectionData", () => {
+  it("adds link attributes to each channel", () => {
+    const data = {
+      heading: "Let's Connect",
+      channels: [
+        {
+          label: "LinkedIn",
+          href: "https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-lindsay-us/",
+          icon: "linkedin",
+          micro_copy: "Network",
+        },
+        {
+          label: "Candidate Concierge",
+          href: "https://candidate-concierge.fastdogcoding.com/",
+          icon: "ai",
+          micro_copy: "Ask questions",
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    const enriched = enrichCtaSectionData(data);
+
+    expect(enriched.channels).toEqual([
+      {
+        label: "LinkedIn",
+        href: "https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-lindsay-us/",
+        icon: "linkedin",
+        micro_copy: "Network",
+        target: "_blank",
+        rel: "noopener noreferrer",
+      },
+      {
+        label: "Candidate Concierge",
+        href: "https://candidate-concierge.fastdogcoding.com/",
+        icon: "ai",
+        micro_copy: "Ask questions",
+        target: "_blank",
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("enrichCtaChannel", () => {
+  it("preserves existing channel fields", () => {
+    expect(
+      enrichCtaChannel({
+        label: "Email",
+        short_label: "Email",
+        href: "mailto:info@fastdogcoding.com",
+        icon: "email",
+        micro_copy: "Write us",
+      })
+    ).toMatchObject({
+      short_label: "Email",
+      target: "_blank",
+      rel: "noopener noreferrer",
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/cta-channels.ts b/src/lib/cta-channels.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c15a3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/cta-channels.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+/**
+ * CTA channel link attributes
+ *
+ * Stored channel rows only carry content fields (label, href, etc.).
+ * Callers enrich channels at fetch time so UI components render target/rel
+ * without embedding link-classification logic.
+ */
+
+import type { CtaChannel, EnrichedCtaChannel } from "@/types";
+
+const FIRST_PARTY_HOST = "fastdogcoding.com";
+
+/** Protocols that delegate to an external app and are treated as third-party. */
+const EXTERNAL_APP_PROTOCOLS = new Set(["mailto:", "tel:"]);
+
+function isFirstPartyHostname(hostname: string): boolean {
+  const host = hostname.toLowerCase();
+  return host === FIRST_PARTY_HOST || host.endsWith(`.${FIRST_PARTY_HOST}`);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether a href should receive rel="noopener noreferrer".
+ * All CTA channels open in a new tab; only third-party destinations get rel.
+ */
+export function isThirdPartyHref(href: string): boolean {
+  for (const protocol of EXTERNAL_APP_PROTOCOLS) {
+    if (href.startsWith(protocol)) return true;
+  }
+
+  if (href.startsWith("/") || href.startsWith("#")) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const { hostname } = new URL(href);
+    return !isFirstPartyHostname(hostname);
+  } catch {
+    return true;
+  }
+}
+
+/** Resolved link attributes for a CTA channel href. */
+export function getCtaChannelLinkAttributes(href: string): {
+  target: "_blank";
+  rel?: "noopener noreferrer";
+} {
+  const attributes: { target: "_blank"; rel?: "noopener noreferrer" } = {
+    target: "_blank",
+  };
+
+  if (isThirdPartyHref(href)) {
+    attributes.rel = "noopener noreferrer";
+  }
+
+  return attributes;
+}
+
+export function enrichCtaChannel(channel: CtaChannel): EnrichedCtaChannel {
+  return {
+    ...channel,
+    ...getCtaChannelLinkAttributes(channel.href),
+  };
+}
+
+/** Enrich channels inside a CTA section's JSON data blob. */
+export function enrichCtaSectionData(
+  data: Record<string, unknown>
+): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const { channels } = data;
+  if (!Array.isArray(channels)) return data;
+
+  return {
+    ...data,
+    channels: channels.map((channel) =>
+      enrichCtaChannel(channel as CtaChannel)
+    ),
+  };
+}
+
+/** Enrich section records whose type is `cta`. */
+export function enrichSectionRecord<S extends Record<string, unknown>>(
+  section: S
+): S {
+  if (section.type !== "cta" || !section.data || typeof section.data !== "object") {
+    return section;
+  }
+
+  return {
+    ...section,
+    data: enrichCtaSectionData(section.data as Record<string, unknown>),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/graphql/resolvers.ts b/src/lib/graphql/resolvers.ts
index 67556f8..06c96c1 100644
--- a/src/lib/graphql/resolvers.ts
+++ b/src/lib/graphql/resolvers.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  * JSON and DateTime scalars are pass-through (Prisma handles serialization).
  */
 
+import { enrichSectionRecord } from "@/lib/cta-channels";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/prisma";
 import { GraphQLScalarType, Kind } from "graphql";
 import type {
@@ -90,11 +91,13 @@ function flattenPageSections(page: {
   const { pageSections, ...rest } = page;
   return {
     ...rest,
-    sections: pageSections.map((ps) => ({
-      ...ps.section,
-      sortOrder: ps.sortOrder,
-      displayHint: ps.displayHint,
-    })),
+    sections: pageSections.map((ps) =>
+      enrichSectionRecord({
+        ...ps.section,
+        sortOrder: ps.sortOrder,
+        displayHint: ps.displayHint,
+      } as Record<string, unknown>)
+    ),
   };
 }
 
@@ -181,9 +184,10 @@ export const resolvers = {
      * Useful for direct section access (e.g., SiteFooter fetching CTA data).
      */
     section: async (_parent: unknown, args: SectionQueryArgs) => {
-      return prisma.section.findUnique({
+      const section = await prisma.section.findUnique({
         where: { slug: args.slug },
       });
+      return section ? enrichSectionRecord(section) : null;
     },
 
     /**
@@ -191,9 +195,10 @@ export const resolvers = {
      * Useful for aggregation views (e.g., all testimonials).
      */
     sectionsByType: async (_parent: unknown, args: SectionsByTypeArgs) => {
-      return prisma.section.findMany({
+      const sections = await prisma.section.findMany({
         where: { type: args.type },
       });
+      return sections.map(enrichSectionRecord);
     },
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/types/index.ts b/src/types/index.ts
index 3d5fd3d..481b857 100644
--- a/src/types/index.ts
+++ b/src/types/index.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,28 @@ export interface TestimonialData {
   snippets: string[];
 }
 
+/** Stored CTA channel row (seed / JSONB). Link attrs are added at fetch time. */
+export interface CtaChannel {
+  label: string;
+  short_label?: string;
+  href: string;
+  icon: string;
+  micro_copy: string;
+}
+
+/** CTA channel after fetch-time link enrichment. */
+export interface EnrichedCtaChannel extends CtaChannel {
+  target: "_blank";
+  rel?: "noopener noreferrer";
+}
+
+/** CTA section data (JSONB) */
+export interface CtaSectionData {
+  heading: string;
+  subheading?: string;
+  channels: EnrichedCtaChannel[];
+}
+
 // ── GraphQL Response Types ──
 
 /** Shape returned by the page() GraphQL query */