diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5f2a4de439..f8fff8c250 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,14 +77,6 @@ if(WINRT)
   endif()
 endif()
 
-if(POLICY CMP0022)
-  cmake_policy(SET CMP0022 OLD)
-endif()
-
-if(POLICY CMP0023)
-  cmake_policy(SET CMP0023 NEW)
-endif()
-
 if(POLICY CMP0026)
   # silence cmake 3.0+ warnings about reading LOCATION attribute
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0026 OLD)
diff --git a/cmake/FindCUDA.cmake b/cmake/FindCUDA.cmake
index 678b450aba..207be6e578 100644
--- a/cmake/FindCUDA.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindCUDA.cmake
@@ -1556,7 +1556,7 @@ macro(CUDA_ADD_LIBRARY cuda_target)
   # variable will have been defined.
   CUDA_LINK_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION_OBJECTS("${link_file}" ${cuda_target} "${_options}" "${${cuda_target}_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION_OBJECTS}")
 
-  target_link_libraries(${cuda_target}
+  target_link_libraries(${cuda_target} LINK_PRIVATE
     ${CUDA_LIBRARIES}
     )
 
@@ -1600,7 +1600,7 @@ macro(CUDA_ADD_EXECUTABLE cuda_target)
   # variable will have been defined.
   CUDA_LINK_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION_OBJECTS("${link_file}" ${cuda_target} "${_options}" "${${cuda_target}_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION_OBJECTS}")
 
-  target_link_libraries(${cuda_target}
+  target_link_libraries(${cuda_target} LINK_PRIVATE
     ${CUDA_LIBRARIES}
     )
 
@@ -1675,9 +1675,9 @@ endmacro()
 ###############################################################################
 macro(CUDA_ADD_CUFFT_TO_TARGET target)
   if (CUDA_BUILD_EMULATION)
-    target_link_libraries(${target} ${CUDA_cufftemu_LIBRARY})
+    target_link_libraries(${target} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_cufftemu_LIBRARY})
   else()
-    target_link_libraries(${target} ${CUDA_cufft_LIBRARY})
+    target_link_libraries(${target} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_cufft_LIBRARY})
   endif()
 endmacro()
 
@@ -1688,9 +1688,9 @@ endmacro()
 ###############################################################################
 macro(CUDA_ADD_CUBLAS_TO_TARGET target)
   if (CUDA_BUILD_EMULATION)
-    target_link_libraries(${target} ${CUDA_cublasemu_LIBRARY})
+    target_link_libraries(${target} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_cublasemu_LIBRARY})
   else()
-    target_link_libraries(${target} ${CUDA_cublas_LIBRARY})
+    target_link_libraries(${target} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_cublas_LIBRARY})
   endif()
 endmacro()
 
diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
index c8f7cba419..52278ee85b 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
         add_library(${JNI_LIB_NAME} SHARED ${android_proj_jni_files})
         ocv_target_include_modules_recurse(${JNI_LIB_NAME} ${android_proj_NATIVE_DEPS})
         ocv_target_include_directories(${JNI_LIB_NAME} "${path}/jni")
-        ocv_target_link_libraries(${JNI_LIB_NAME} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${android_proj_NATIVE_DEPS})
+        ocv_target_link_libraries(${JNI_LIB_NAME} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${android_proj_NATIVE_DEPS})
 
         set_target_properties(${JNI_LIB_NAME} PROPERTIES
             OUTPUT_NAME "${JNI_LIB_NAME}"
diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
index ea85e21d35..f560accfbd 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVModule.cmake
@@ -787,15 +787,12 @@ macro(_ocv_create_module)
   endif()
 
   set(sub_objs "")
-  set(sub_links "")
   set(cuda_objs "")
   if (OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_CHILDREN)
     message(STATUS "Complex module ${the_module}")
     foreach (m ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_CHILDREN})
       if (BUILD_${m} AND TARGET ${m}_object)
-        get_target_property(_sub_links ${m} LINK_LIBRARIES)
         list(APPEND sub_objs $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${m}_object>)
-        list(APPEND sub_links ${_sub_links})
         message(STATUS "    + ${m}")
       else()
         message(STATUS "    - ${m}")
@@ -837,38 +834,21 @@ macro(_ocv_create_module)
   )
 
   if (cuda_objs)
-    target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${cuda_objs})
-  endif()
-
-  # TODO: is it needed?
-  if (sub_links)
-    ocv_list_filterout(sub_links "^opencv_")
-    ocv_list_unique(sub_links)
-    target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${sub_links})
+    target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${cuda_objs})
   endif()
 
   unset(sub_objs)
-  unset(sub_links)
   unset(cuda_objs)
 
   set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL};Module")
   set_source_files_properties(${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_HEADERS} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_SOURCES} ${${the_module}_pch}
     PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL};Module")
 
-  if(NOT BUILD_SHARED_LIBS OR NOT INSTALL_CREATE_DISTRIB)
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_TO_LINK})
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_TO_LINK})
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_EXT} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${IPP_LIBS} ${ARGN})
-    if (HAVE_CUDA)
-      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${CUDA_LIBRARIES} ${CUDA_npp_LIBRARY})
-    endif()
-  else()
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_TO_LINK})
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_TO_LINK})
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_EXT} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${IPP_LIBS} ${ARGN})
-    if (HAVE_CUDA)
-      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_LIBRARIES} ${CUDA_npp_LIBRARY})
-    endif()
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PUBLIC ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_TO_LINK})
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PUBLIC ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS_EXT})
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${OPENCV_HAL_LINKER_LIBS} ${IPP_LIBS} ${ARGN})
+  if (HAVE_CUDA)
+    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${CUDA_LIBRARIES} ${CUDA_npp_LIBRARY})
   endif()
 
   add_dependencies(opencv_modules ${the_module})
@@ -1074,7 +1054,7 @@ function(ocv_add_perf_tests)
       source_group("Src" FILES "${${the_target}_pch}")
       ocv_add_executable(${the_target} ${OPENCV_PERF_${the_module}_SOURCES} ${${the_target}_pch})
       ocv_target_include_modules(${the_target} ${perf_deps} "${perf_path}")
-      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} ${perf_deps} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
+      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} LINK_PRIVATE ${perf_deps} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
       add_dependencies(opencv_perf_tests ${the_target})
 
       set_target_properties(${the_target} PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL};PerfTest")
@@ -1151,7 +1131,7 @@ function(ocv_add_accuracy_tests)
       source_group("Src" FILES "${${the_target}_pch}")
       ocv_add_executable(${the_target} ${OPENCV_TEST_${the_module}_SOURCES} ${${the_target}_pch})
       ocv_target_include_modules(${the_target} ${test_deps} "${test_path}")
-      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} ${test_deps} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
+      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} LINK_PRIVATE ${test_deps} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
       add_dependencies(opencv_tests ${the_target})
 
       set_target_properties(${the_target} PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL};AccuracyTest")
@@ -1208,7 +1188,7 @@ function(ocv_add_samples)
 
         ocv_add_executable(${the_target} "${source}")
         ocv_target_include_modules(${the_target} ${samples_deps})
-        ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} ${samples_deps})
+        ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} LINK_PRIVATE ${samples_deps})
         set_target_properties(${the_target} PROPERTIES PROJECT_LABEL "(sample) ${name}")
 
         set_target_properties(${the_target} PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL};Sample")
diff --git a/modules/core/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 9a098514a7..4d6b7bbd82 100644
--- a/modules/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ ocv_add_dispatched_file(mathfuncs_core SSE2 AVX AVX2)
 ocv_add_dispatched_file(stat SSE4_2 AVX2)
 
 ocv_add_module(core
-               "${OPENCV_HAL_LINKER_LIBS}"
                OPTIONAL opencv_cudev
                WRAP java python)
 
@@ -57,10 +56,11 @@ endif()
 
 ocv_create_module(${extra_libs})
 
-ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module}
+ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE
     "${ZLIB_LIBRARIES}" "${OPENCL_LIBRARIES}" "${VA_LIBRARIES}"
     "${LAPACK_LIBRARIES}" "${CPUFEATURES_LIBRARIES}" "${HALIDE_LIBRARIES}"
     "${ITT_LIBRARIES}"
+    "${OPENCV_HAL_LINKER_LIBS}"
 )
 
 ocv_add_accuracy_tests()
diff --git a/modules/cudev/test/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/cudev/test/CMakeLists.txt
index d348fdcb56..ab9fd42529 100644
--- a/modules/cudev/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/cudev/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ if(OCV_DEPENDENCIES_FOUND)
   ocv_cuda_filter_options()
 
   CUDA_ADD_EXECUTABLE(${the_target} ${OPENCV_TEST_${the_module}_SOURCES})
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} ${test_deps} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${CUDA_LIBRARIES})
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_target} LINK_PRIVATE
+      ${test_deps} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} ${CUDA_LIBRARIES}
+  )
   add_dependencies(opencv_tests ${the_target})
 
   set_target_properties(${the_target} PROPERTIES LABELS "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_LABEL}")
diff --git a/modules/highgui/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/highgui/CMakeLists.txt
index 1b73dbcbcc..4fba298589 100644
--- a/modules/highgui/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/highgui/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -147,11 +147,6 @@ if(MSVC)
   set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS "/NODEFAULTLIB:atlthunk.lib /NODEFAULTLIB:atlsd.lib /NODEFAULTLIB:libcmt.lib /DEBUG")
 endif()
 
-if(NOT BUILD_opencv_world)
-  #stop automatic dependencies propagation for this module
-  set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES "")
-endif()
-
 ocv_warnings_disable(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS -Wno-deprecated-declarations)
 endmacro()
 
diff --git a/modules/imgcodecs/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/imgcodecs/CMakeLists.txt
index 7f53e48595..281b507328 100644
--- a/modules/imgcodecs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/imgcodecs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ if(MSVC)
   set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS "/NODEFAULTLIB:atlthunk.lib /NODEFAULTLIB:atlsd.lib /NODEFAULTLIB:libcmt.lib /DEBUG")
 endif()
 
-#stop automatic dependencies propagation for this module
-set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES "")
-
 ocv_warnings_disable(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS -Wno-deprecated-declarations)
 endmacro()
 
diff --git a/modules/java/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/java/CMakeLists.txt
index 74bc0ef041..ae28e4cbc9 100644
--- a/modules/java/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/java/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -435,14 +435,14 @@ if(BUILD_FAT_JAVA_LIB)
   endif()
   if(APPLE)
     foreach(_dep ${__deps})
-      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} -Wl,-force_load "${_dep}")
+      ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE -Wl,-force_load "${_dep}")
     endforeach()
   else()
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} -Wl,-whole-archive ${__deps} -Wl,-no-whole-archive)
+    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE -Wl,-whole-archive ${__deps} -Wl,-no-whole-archive)
   endif()
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${__extradeps} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${__extradeps} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
 else()
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS} ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
 endif()
 
 # Additional target properties
@@ -451,12 +451,12 @@ set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES
     ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${LIBRARY_OUTPUT_PATH}
     LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${LIBRARY_OUTPUT_PATH}
     RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}
-    LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES ""
     )
 
 if(ANDROID)
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} jnigraphics) # for Mat <=> Bitmap converters
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} jnigraphics)
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PUBLIC jnigraphics) # for Mat <=> Bitmap converters
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PUBLIC log dl z)
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS})
 
   # force strip library after the build command
   # because samples and tests will make a copy of the library before install
diff --git a/modules/python/common.cmake b/modules/python/common.cmake
index 454c0d4271..28a3d9cd15 100644
--- a/modules/python/common.cmake
+++ b/modules/python/common.cmake
@@ -72,12 +72,12 @@ if(APPLE)
   set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS "-undefined dynamic_lookup")
 elseif(WIN32 OR OPENCV_FORCE_PYTHON_LIBS)
   if(${PYTHON}_DEBUG_LIBRARIES AND NOT ${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES MATCHES "optimized.*debug")
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} debug ${${PYTHON}_DEBUG_LIBRARIES} optimized ${${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES})
+    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE debug ${${PYTHON}_DEBUG_LIBRARIES} optimized ${${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES})
   else()
-    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES})
+    ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${${PYTHON}_LIBRARIES})
   endif()
 endif()
-ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS})
+ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}_DEPS})
 
 if(DEFINED ${PYTHON}_CVPY_SUFFIX)
   set(CVPY_SUFFIX "${${PYTHON}_CVPY_SUFFIX}")
diff --git a/modules/videoio/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/videoio/CMakeLists.txt
index 086e2235e5..0c0b3791b2 100644
--- a/modules/videoio/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/videoio/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -261,11 +261,6 @@ if(MSVC)
   endif()
 endif()
 
-#stop automatic dependencies propagation for this module
-if(NOT BUILD_opencv_world)
-  set_target_properties(${the_module} PROPERTIES LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES "")
-endif()
-
 ocv_warnings_disable(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS -Wno-deprecated-declarations)
 
 if(WIN32 AND HAVE_FFMPEG)
diff --git a/modules/viz/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/viz/CMakeLists.txt
index 68bd8d3ec7..ddeccf15f6 100644
--- a/modules/viz/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/viz/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ if(NOT BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
 endif()
 
 ocv_define_module(viz opencv_core WRAP python)
-ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} ${VTK_LIBRARIES})
+ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE ${VTK_LIBRARIES})
 
 if(APPLE AND BUILD_opencv_viz)
-  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} "-framework Cocoa")
+  ocv_target_link_libraries(${the_module} LINK_PRIVATE "-framework Cocoa")
 endif()
 
 if(TARGET opencv_test_viz)