Document:

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                                                                     Exhibit 4.2

                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                                  $300,000,000

                          6.625% Senior Notes due 2006

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                                                                 March 22, 2001

BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC.
BNY CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
270 Park Avenue, 4th floor
New York, New York  10017

Ladies and Gentlemen:

               The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. ("BSCI") and
Chase Securities Inc, Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
(together with BSCI, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in a purchase agreement dated March 19, 2001 (the
"Purchase Agreement"), $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.625%
Senior Notes due 2006 (the "Securities"). Capitalized terms used but not defined
herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.

               As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the
Purchase Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the
Initial Purchasers thereunder, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers,
for the benefit of the holders (including the Initial Purchasers) of the
Securities, the Exchange Securities (as defined herein) and the Private Exchange
Securities (as defined herein) (collectively, the "Holders"), as follows:

         1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall (i) use its reasonable
best efforts to prepare and, not later than 90 days following the date of
original issuance of the Securities (the "Issue Date"), file with the Commission
a registration statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an
appropriate form under the Securities Act with respect to a proposed offer to
the Holders of the Securities (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to issue and
deliver to such Holders, in

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exchange for the Securities, a like aggregate principal amount of debt
securities of the Company (the "Exchange Securities") that are identical in all
material respects to the Securities, except for the transfer restrictions
relating to the Securities, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities
Act no later than 150 days after the Issue Date and the Registered Exchange
Offer to be consummated no later than 180 days after the Issue Date and (iii)
keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not less than 20
business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date on which
notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period
being called the "Exchange Offer Registration Period"). The Exchange Securities
will be issued under the Indenture or an indenture (the "Exchange Securities
Indenture") between the Company and the Trustee or such other bank or trust
company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, as trustee
(the "Exchange Securities Trustee"), such indenture to be identical in all
material respects to the Indenture, except for the transfer restrictions
relating to the Securities (as described above).

               Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it
being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder
electing to exchange Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such
Holder (a) is not an affiliate of the Company or an Exchanging Dealer (as
defined herein) not complying with the requirements of the next sentence, (b) is
not an Initial Purchaser holding Securities that have, or that are reasonably
likely to have, the status of an unsold allotment in an initial distribution,
(c) acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's
business and (d) has no arrangements or understandings with any person to
participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities) and to trade such
Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or
restrictions under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under
the securities laws of the several states of the United States. The Company, the
Initial Purchasers and each Exchanging Dealer acknowledge that, pursuant to
current interpretations by the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities
Act, each Holder that is a broker-dealer electing to exchange Securities,
acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities, for Exchange Securities (an "Exchanging Dealer"), is
required to deliver a prospectus containing substantially the information set
forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer
Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex
C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such prospectus in connection
with a sale of any such Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer.

               If, prior to the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer,
any Holder holds any Securities acquired by it that have, or that are reasonably
likely to be determined to have, the status of an unsold allotment in an initial
distribution, or any Holder is not entitled to participate in the Registered
Exchange Offer, the Company shall, upon the request of any such Holder,
simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities in the Registered
Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to any such Holder, in exchange for the
Securities held by such Holder (the "Private Exchange"), a like aggregate
principal amount of debt securities of the Company (the "Private Exchange
Securities") that are identical in all material respects to the Exchange
Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to such Private
Exchange Securities. The Private Exchange Securities will be issued under the
same indenture as the Exchange Securities, and the

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Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Private Exchange
Securities to bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Securities.

               In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
shall:

               (a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of
        the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate
        letter of transmittal and related documents;

               (b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20
        business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date
        on which notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the
        Holders;

               (c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
        Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
        New York;

               (d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time
        prior to the close of business, New York City time, on the last business
        day on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and

               (e) otherwise comply in all respects with all laws that are
        applicable to the Registered Exchange Offer.

               As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange
Offer and any Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:

               (a) accept for exchange all Securities tendered and not validly
        withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
        Exchange;

               (b) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities so
        accepted for exchange; and

               (c) cause the Trustee or the Exchange Securities Trustee, as the
        case may be, promptly to authenticate and deliver to each Holder,
        Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be,
        equal in principal amount to the Securities of such Holder so accepted
        for exchange.

               The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein in order to permit such prospectus to be used by
all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided that (i) in the case where
such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an
Exchanging Dealer, such period shall be the lesser of 90 days and the date on
which all Exchanging Dealers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them and
(ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any

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amendment or supplement thereto available to any broker-dealer for use in
connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities for a period of not less
than 90 days after the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.

               The Indenture or the Exchange Securities Indenture, as the case
may be, shall provide that the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the
Private Exchange Securities shall vote and consent together on all matters as
one class and that none of the Securities, the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a separate
class on any matter.

               Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security
issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange
will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on
the Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid
on the Securities, from the Issue Date.

               Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall
be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of
the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such
Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder
will have no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act and (iii) such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company or,
if it is such an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the registration and
prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable.

               Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will
ensure that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
and (iii) any prospectus forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus, does not, as of the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

         2. Shelf Registration. If (i) because of any change in law or
applicable interpretations thereof by the Commission's staff the Company is not
permitted to effect the Registered Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 1
hereof, or (ii) any Securities validly tendered pursuant to the Registered
Exchange Offer are not exchanged for Exchange Securities within 180 days after
the Issue Date, or (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with respect to
Securities or Private Exchange Securities not eligible to be exchanged for
Exchange Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following
the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, or (iv) any applicable law or
interpretations do not permit any Holder to participate in the Registered
Exchange Offer, or (v) any Holder that participates in the Registered Exchange

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Offer does not receive freely transferable Exchange Securities in exchange for
tendered Securities, or (vi) the Company so elects, then the following
provisions shall apply:

               (a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file as
promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 60 days after so required or
requested pursuant to this Section 2) with the Commission, and thereafter shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be declared effective, a shelf
registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating
to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined below)
by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of
distribution set forth in such registration statement (hereafter, a "Shelf
Registration Statement" and, together with any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, a "Registration Statement").

               (b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the
prospectus forming part thereof to be used by Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities for a period ending on the earlier of (i) two years from the Issue
Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant
thereto and (ii) the date on which the Securities become eligible for resale
without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (in
any such case, such period being called the "Shelf Registration Period"). The
Company shall be deemed not to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it
voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Transfer
Restricted Securities during that period, unless such action is required by
applicable law

               (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will
ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto (in either case, other than with respect to information included therein
in reliance upon or in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of any Holder specifically for use therein (the
"Holders' Information")) does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming part
of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus (in
either case, other than with respect to Holders' Information), does not include
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

         3. Liquidated Damages. (a) The parties hereto agree that the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities will suffer damages if the Company fails to
fulfill its obligations under Section 1 or Section 2, as applicable, and that it
would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages. Accordingly, if
(i) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission
on or prior to 90 days after the Issue Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is not declared effective within 150 days after the Issue
Date, or (iii) the Registered

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Exchange Offer is not consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement is not
declared effective on or prior to 180 days after the Issue Date (each such event
referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a "Registration Default"), then, as
liquidated damages for such Registration Default, the per annum interest rate on
the Transferred Restricted Securities shall be increased from and including the
day next following each such Registration Default, in each case at a rate equal
to 0.25% per annum until (i) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is filed,
(ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective or (iii)
the Registered Exchange Offer is consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement
is declared effective, as the case may be. Following the cure of all
Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease. The
aggregate amount of the liquidated damages in respect of each of the Transfer
Restricted Securities payable pursuant to the above provisions will in no event
exceed 0.75% per annum. As used herein, the term "Transfer Restricted
Securities" means (i) each Security until the date on which such Security has
been exchanged for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) each Security or Private Exchange Security until the date
on which it has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and
disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iii) each
Security or Private Exchange Security until the date on which it is distributed
to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable
pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this Section 3(a), the Company shall not be required to pay
liquidated damages to a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities if such Holder
failed to comply with its obligations to make the representations set forth in
the second to last paragraph of Section 1 or failed to provide the information
required to be provided by it, if any, pursuant to Section 4(n).

        In addition, if the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective
pursuant to Section 2, and the Company fails to keep the Shelf Registration
Statement continuously (x) effective or (y) useable for resales of the Transfer
Restricted Securities for the period required by Section 2(b), and such failure
continues for more than 60 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month
period (the 61st day being referred to as the "Default Day"), then from the
Default Day until the earlier of (i) the date that the Shelf Registration
Statement is again deemed effective or is usable, (ii) the date that is the
second anniversary of the Issue Date (or, if Rule 144(k) is amended to provide a
shorter restrictive period, such shorter period) or (iii) the date as of which
all of the Transfer Restricted Securities are sold pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement, liquidated damages in respect of the Transfer Restricted
Securities shall accrue at a rate equal to 0.25% per annum.

               (b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent
under the Indenture immediately upon the happening of each and every
Registration Default. The Company shall pay the liquidated damages due on the
Transfer Restricted Securities by depositing with the Paying Agent (which may
not be the Company for these purposes), in trust, for the benefit of the Holders
thereof, prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next interest payment
date specified by the Indenture and the Securities, sums sufficient to pay the
liquidated damages then due. The liquidated damages due shall be payable on each
interest payment date specified by the Indenture and the Securities to the
record holder entitled to receive the interest payment to be made on such date.
Each obligation to pay liquidated damages shall be deemed to accrue from and
including the date of the applicable Registration Default.

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               (c) The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages provided
for in this Section 3 constitute a reasonable estimate of and are intended to
constitute the sole damages that will be suffered by Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities by reason of the failure of (i) the Shelf Registration
Statement or the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be filed, (ii) the
Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or (iii) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement to be declared effective and the Registered Exchange
Offer to be consummated, in each case to the extent required by this Agreement.

         4. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Registration
Statement, the following provisions shall apply:

               (a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser,
prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the
prospectus included therein and shall use its reasonable best efforts to reflect
in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as any
Initial Purchaser may reasonably propose; (ii) include the information set forth
in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer
Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex
C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and include the information set
forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer; and (iii) if requested by any Initial Purchaser,
include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as
applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement.

               (b) The Company shall advise each Initial Purchaser, each
Exchanging Dealer and the Holders (if applicable) and, if requested by any such
person, confirm such advice in writing (which advice pursuant to clauses
(ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the
prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):

                  (i) when any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto
         has been filed with the Commission and when such Registration Statement
         or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

                  (ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
         supplements to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included
         therein or for additional information;

                  (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
         suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the
         initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;

                  (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
         respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities, the
         Exchange Securities or the Private

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         Exchange Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
         threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and

                  (v) of the happening of any event that requires the making of
         any changes in any Registration Statement or the prospectus included
         therein in order that the statements therein are not misleading and do
         not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

               (c) The Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain the
withdrawal at the earliest possible time of any order suspending the
effectiveness of any Registration Statement.

               (d) The Company will furnish to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration
Statement, without charge, at least one conformed copy of such Shelf
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules and, if any such Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).

               (e) The Company will, during the Shelf Registration Period,
promptly deliver to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities included
within the coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, as many
copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in
such Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as
such Holder may reasonably request; and the Company consents to the use of such
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders
of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with the offer and sale of the
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto.

               (f) The Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser and each
Exchanging Dealer, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at
least one conformed copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules
and, if any Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer or any such Holder so
requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated
by reference).

               (g) The Company will, during the Exchange Offer Registration
Period or the Shelf Registration Period, as applicable, promptly deliver to each
Initial Purchaser, each Exchanging Dealer and such other persons that are
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer,
without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such Initial Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or
other persons may reasonably request; and the Company consents to the use of
such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any such Initial
Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or other persons, as applicable, as aforesaid.

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               (h) Prior to the effective date of any Registration Statement,
the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify, or
cooperate with the Holders of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities included therein and their respective counsel in connection
with the registration or qualification of, such Securities, Exchange Securities
or Private Exchange Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions as any such Holder reasonably requests in writing
and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the
offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided
that the Company will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would
subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any such jurisdiction
where it is not then so subject.

               (i) The Company will cooperate with the Holders of Securities,
Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such denominations
and registered in such names as the Holders thereof may request in writing prior
to sales of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Registration Statement.

               (j) If any event contemplated by Section 4(b)(ii) through (v)
occurs during the period for which the Company is required to maintain an
effective Registration Statement, the Company will promptly prepare and file
with the Commission a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or
a supplement to the related prospectus or file any other required document so
that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities from a Holder, the prospectus will not
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

               (k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with printed certificates for
the Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as
the case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust
Company.

               (l) The Company will comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and will make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practicable after the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement an earning statement satisfying the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act; provided that in no event shall such earning
statement be delivered later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or
90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the
Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the
applicable Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month
period.

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               (m) The Company will cause the Indenture or the Exchange
Securities Indenture, as the case may be, to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act as required by applicable law in a timely manner.

               (n) The Company may require each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities to be registered pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement to
furnish to the Company such information concerning the Holder and the
distribution of such Transfer Restricted Securities as the Company may from time
to time reasonably require for inclusion in such Shelf Registration Statement,
and the Company may exclude from such registration the Transfer Restricted
Securities of any Holder that fails to furnish such information within a
reasonable time after receiving such request.

               (o) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant thereto agrees by
acquisition of such Transfer Restricted Securities that, upon receipt of any
notice from the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii) through (v), such Holder
will discontinue disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities until such
Holder's receipt of copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) or until advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company that the use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed. If the Company
shall give any notice under Section 4(b)(ii) through (v) during the period that
the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration Statement (the
"Effectiveness Period"), such Effectiveness Period shall be extended by the
number of days during such period from and including the date of the giving of
such notice to and including the date when each seller of Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall have received (x) the
copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 4(j)
(if an amended or supplemental prospectus is required) or (y) the Advice (if no
amended or supplemental prospectus is required).

               (p) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company
shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an
underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if
any, as Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities,
Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities being sold or the managing
underwriters (if any) shall reasonably request in order to facilitate any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.

               (q) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company
shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by a representative of, and
Special Counsel (as defined below) acting for, Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities being sold and any underwriter participating in any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, all relevant financial and other
records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries to the same extent that the Company would customarily make such
information available in the context of due diligence for an underwritten public
offering and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to have its officers,
directors, employees, accountants and counsel supply all relevant information
reasonably
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requested by such representative, Special Counsel or any such underwriter (an
"Inspector") in connection with the preparation of such Shelf Registration
Statement.

               (r) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company
shall, if requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities being sold,
their Special Counsel or the managing underwriters (if any) in connection with
such Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to cause (i)
its counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Shelf Registration Statement
and the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as
applicable, in customary form, (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all
customary documents and certificates requested by Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities being sold, their Special Counsel or the managing
underwriters (if any) and (iii) its independent public accountants to provide a
comfort letter or letters in customary form, subject to receipt of appropriate
documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing
Standards No. 72.

         5. Registration Expenses. The Company will bear all expenses incurred
in connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1, 2, 3 and
4 and the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of attorneys (in addition to any
local counsel) chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities
to be sold pursuant to each Registration Statement (the "Special Counsel")
acting for the Initial Purchasers or Holders in connection therewith.

         6. Indemnification. (a) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement
or in connection with any prospectus delivery pursuant to an Exchange Offer
Registration Statement by an Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer, as
applicable, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
(including, without limitation, any such Initial Purchaser or Exchanging
Dealer), its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6 and Section 7 as a Holder) from and
against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities), to which that Holder may become
subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act, any other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out
of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus
forming part thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall
reimburse each Holder promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by that Holder in connection with investigating or defending
or preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness in
connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such
expenses are incurred; provided, however,

                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12
that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon,
an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with any
Holders' Information; and provided, further, that with respect to any such
untrue statement in or omission from any related preliminary prospectus, the
indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not inure to the
benefit of any Holder from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action received Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action of or with respect to such Holder results from the fact that both (A) a
copy of the final prospectus was not sent or given to such person at or prior to
the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities to such person and (B) the untrue statement in or
omission from the related preliminary prospectus was corrected in the final
prospectus unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the final prospectus
was a result of non-compliance by the Company with Section 4(d), 4(e), 4(f) or
4(g).

               (b) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder
shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, their respective
officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 6(b) and
Section 7 as the Company), from and against any loss, claim, damage or
liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the
Company may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration
Statement or any prospectus forming part thereof or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in reliance upon and in conformity with any Holders' Information furnished to
the Company by such Holder, and shall reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a
third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that no such Holder
shall be liable for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess of the amount of
net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration
Statement.

               (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 6 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party pursuant to Section 6(a) or 6(b), notify the indemnifying
party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided,
however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have under this Section 6 except to the extent
that it has been materially

                                      -12-
<PAGE>   13
prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such
failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying
party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 6. If any such claim or
action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the
indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other
similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the
defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof other than the reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however,
that an indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any
such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel for the
indemnified party will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1)
the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in
writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably
concluded (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified party) that there may
be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are
different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3)
a conflict or potential conflict exists (based upon advice of counsel to the
indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in
which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense
of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party
has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after
receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the
reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the
expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the
indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or
related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees,
disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in
addition to any local counsel) at any one time for all such indemnified party or
parties. Each indemnified party, as a condition of the indemnity agreements
contained in Sections 6(a) and 6(b), shall use all reasonable efforts to
cooperate with the indemnifying party in the defense of any such action or
claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any such
action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), but if settled with its written consent or if there be a
final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any
loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying
party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of
such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such proceeding.

         7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section
6(a) or 6(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount

                                      -13-
<PAGE>   14
paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as
shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company
from the offering and sale of the Securities, on the one hand, and a Holder with
respect to the sale by such Holder of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, on the other, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause
(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and such Holder
on the other with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such
loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and a Holder on the other with respect to such offering
and such sale shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses)
received by or on behalf of the Company as set forth in the table on the cover
of the Offering Memorandum, on the one hand, bear to the total proceeds received
by such Holder with respect to its sale of Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities, on the other. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to the Company or information supplied by the Company on
the one hand or to any Holders' Information supplied by such Holder on the
other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or
omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contributions pursuant to this Section 7 were to be determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by
an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed
to include, for purposes of this Section 7, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending or preparing to defend any such action or claim. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 7, an indemnifying party that is a Holder of
Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities sold by such indemnifying party to any purchaser exceeds the amount
of any damages which such indemnifying party has otherwise paid or become liable
to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.

         8. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not
required to file such reports, it will, upon the written request of any Holder
of Transfer Restricted Securities, make publicly available other information so
long as necessary to permit sales of such Holder's securities pursuant to Rules
144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may reasonably request, all to the
extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Transfer
Restricted Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including, without
limitation, the

                                      -14-
<PAGE>   15
requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the written request of any Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a
written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 8 shall be deemed to
require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange
Act.

         9. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an
underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager
or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of
a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities
included in such offering, subject to the consent of the Company (which shall
not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and such Holders shall be responsible
for all underwriting commissions and discounts in connection therewith.

         No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements
approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii)
completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms
of such underwriting arrangements.

         10. Miscellaneous. (a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this
Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents
to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company
has obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange
Securities, taken as a single class. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or
consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that
relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities are being sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect the
rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private
Exchange Securities being sold by such Holders pursuant to such Registration
Statement.

         (b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail,
telecopier or air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery:

         (1) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to
the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10(b), which
address initially is, with respect to each Holder, the address of such Holder
maintained by the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy in like manner to
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., Chase Securities Inc., BNY Capital Markets, Inc. and
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.

         (2) if to an Initial Purchaser, initially at its address set forth in
the Purchase Agreement; and

                                      -15-
<PAGE>   16
               (3) if to the Company, initially at the address of the Company
set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

               All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been
duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; one business day
after being delivered to a next-day air courier; five business days after being
deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the recipient's
telecopier machine, if sent by telecopier.

               (c) Successors And Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon
the Company and its successors and assigns.

               (d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts (which may be delivered in original form or by telecopier) and by
the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed
shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.

               (e) Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the
term "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is
open for trading, (b) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth in Rule
405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly provided,
the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities
Act.

               (f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

               (g)    GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

               (h) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by any
Holder of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law, including recovery of damages (other than the recovery of
damages for a breach by the Company of its obligations under Sections 1 or 2
hereof for which liquidated damages have been paid pursuant to Section 3
hereof), will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of any
of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that, in the event
of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive
the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

               (i) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants
and agrees that (i) it has not entered into, shall not, on or after the date of
this Agreement, enter into any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof, (ii) it has not previously entered into any agreement which
remains in effect granting any registration rights with respect to any of its
debt

                                      -16-
<PAGE>   17
securities to any person and (iii) without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, without the written consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the then outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities, it
shall not grant to any person the right to request the Company to register any
debt securities of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so
granted are not in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement.

               (j) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company nor any of
its security holders (other than the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
in such capacity) shall have the right to include any securities of the Company
in any Shelf Registration or Registered Exchange Offer other than Transfer
Restricted Securities.

               (k) Severability. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision, covenant
or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and
the parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts to find and employ an
alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that
contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby
stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without
including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or
unenforceable.

                                      -17-
<PAGE>   18

               Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the
agreement among the Company and the Initial Purchasers.

                                         Very truly yours,

                                         THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                                          By  /s/ R.E. Parker
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:  Roxanne E. Parker
                                          Title: Vice President - Treasury and
                                                 Investor Relations

Accepted:  March 22, 2001

BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
CHASE SECURITIES INC.

Acting severally on behalf
of themselves and the
several Initial Purchasers listed
in Schedule I hereto.

By: Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.

By: /s/ David Granville-Smith
   --------------------------------
    Name:  David Granville-Smith
    Title: Senior Managing Director

                                      -18-
<PAGE>   19
                                                                      SCHEDULE I

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                               Principal Amount
                                                                of Securities
Initial Purchaser                                              To Be Purchased
-----------------                                              ---------------
<S>                                                            <C>
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc...............................           $150,000,000
Chase Securities Inc..................................            105,000,000
Salomon Smith Barney Inc..............................             30,000,000
BNY Capital Markets, Inc..............................             15,000,000
                                                                  --------------
                                   Total:.............            $300,000,000
                                                                  ==============

</TABLE>

                                      -19-
<PAGE>   20
                                                                         ANNEX A

               Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it
may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer
in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for
Securities where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution"

                                      -20-
<PAGE>   21

                                                                         ANNEX B

               Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in exchange for Securities, where such Securities were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution".

                                      -21-
<PAGE>   22
                                                                         ANNEX C

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

               Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be
used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities
received in exchange for Securities where such Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until _______________,
200_, all dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be
required to deliver a prospectus.

               The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of
Exchange Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by
broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer
may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the
over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of
options on the Exchange Securities or a combination of such methods of resale,
at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made
directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive
compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Securities. Any
broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were received by it for its
own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer
that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed to
be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on
any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions
received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under
the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that
it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be
deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities
Act.

               For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company
will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Registered Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel
for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any
broker-dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.

                                      -22-
<PAGE>   23
                                                                         ANNEX D

        -      CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10
               ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY
               AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.

               Name:
               Address:

If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Securities that were acquired as
a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.

                                      -23-<PAGE>   1
                                                                     Exhibit 4.3

        UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), NEW YORK, NEW
YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR
PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR
IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND
ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED
OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

        THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE
HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A
NOMINEE THEREOF. TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS
IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH
SUCCESSOR'S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE
LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE
INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.

        THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF IS DEEMED TO HAVE
AGREED TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT DATED
MARCH 22, 2001 (THE "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), AMONG THE COMPANY AND THE
INITIAL PURCHASERS, AS THEREIN DEFINED. THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO A HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY WITHOUT CHARGE UPON
WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE COMPANY AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.

        THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER
JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY
BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE
DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS
EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

        THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES, ON ITS OWN
BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED
SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE
DATE (THE "RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE") WHICH IS TWO YEARS
<PAGE>   2
AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE
COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY
PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE
144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A
"QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED
INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN
RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE
UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E)
TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a)(1),
(2), (3) OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY FOR ITS
OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR, IN
EACH CASE IN A TRANSACTION INVOLVING A MINIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $250,000 OF
SECURITIES, FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO OR FOR OFFER OR SALE
IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES ACT OR (F)
PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S AND THE TRUSTEE'S RIGHT PRIOR TO
ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D), (E) AND (F) TO REQUIRE
THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION
SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF
THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.

                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                          6.625% Senior Notes due 2006

CUSIP No.:  26483EAA8                                            Note No.: N-1
ISIN No.:  US26483EAA82
Common Code No.:  012690525

        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the "Company",
which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or
registered assigns, the principal sum as set forth in the attached Schedule of
Increases and Decreases on March 15, 2006, and to pay interest thereon from
March 22, 2001 or from the most recent Interest
<PAGE>   3
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually
on March 15 and September 15 in each year, commencing September 15, at the rate
of 6.625% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for
payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on
any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the
Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such
interest, which shall be the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business
Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such
interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be
payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the
Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of
such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be
mailed to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to
such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not
inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the
Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required
by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. Interest on the
Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months.

        Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest
on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in
The Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at any other office or agency
designated by the Company for such purpose, in such coin or currency of the
United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment
of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the
Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the
Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.

        If (i) the Company has not filed a registration statement (the "Exchange
Offer Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act") registering a security substantially identical to this
Security (except that such security will not contain terms with respect to
transfer restrictions) (the "Exchange Securities") pursuant to an exchange offer
(the "Registered Exchange Offer") on or prior to 90 days following the date of
original issuance of this Security, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has not been declared effective within 150 days following the date of
original issuance of this Security, or (iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has
not been consummated or a registration statement registering this Security for
resale (the "Shelf Registration Statement") has not been declared effective on
or prior to 180 days following the date of original issuance of this Security
(each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a "Registration
Default"), then, as liquidated damages for such Registration Default, the per
annum interest rate on the Transferred Restricted Securities shall increase from
and including the day next following each such Registration Default, in each
case at a rate equal to 0.25% per annum until (i) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement has been filed, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has been declared effective or (iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has
been consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement has been declared
effective, as the case
<PAGE>   4
may be. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of
liquidated damages shall cease. The aggregate amount of the liquidated damages
in respect of each of the Transfer Restricted Securities payable pursuant to
such provisions shall not exceed 0.75% per annum. The term "Transfer Restricted
Securities" means (i) each Security until the date on which such Security has
been exchanged for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) each Security or private exchange security ("Private
Exchange Securities" means securities that are exchanged by the Company in a
private exchange offer for a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities
of the Company that are identical in all material respects to the Exchange
Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to such Private
Exchange Securities) until the date on which it has been effectively registered
under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf
Registration Statement or (iii) each Security or Private Exchange Security until
the date on which it is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
The Company shall not be required to pay liquidated damages to a holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities if such holder has failed to comply with its
obligations to make the representations set forth in the second to last
paragraph of Section 1 of the Registration Rights Agreement or failed to provide
the information required to be provided by it, if any, pursuant to Section 4(n)
of the Registration Rights Agreement.

        In addition, if the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective
pursuant to Section 2 of the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Company
fails to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously (x) effective or (y)
useable for resales of the Transfer Restricted Securities for the period
required by Section 2(b) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and such failure
continues for more than 60 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month
period (the 61st day being referred to as the "Default Day"), then from the
Default Day until the earlier of (i) the date that the Shelf Registration
Statement is again deemed effective or is usable, (ii) the date that is two
years following the date of original issuance of this Security (or, if Rule
144(k) is amended to provide a shorter restrictive period, such shorter period)
or (iii) the date as of which all of the Transfer Restricted Securities are sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, liquidated damages in respect of
the Transfer Restricted Securities shall accrue at a rate equal to 0.25% per
annum.

        Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

        Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the
Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.

<PAGE>   5
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.

                                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                                          By:
                                              ----------------------------------

                                          Attest:
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                       Assistant Secretary
<PAGE>   6

                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

        This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:  March 22, 2001

                                            THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee

                                            By:
                                                --------------------------------

                                                   Authorized Signatory

<PAGE>   7

                              [REVERSE OF SECURITY]

        This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more
series under an Indenture, dated as of March 22, 2001 (herein called the
"Indenture", which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such
instrument), between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein
called the "Trustee", which term includes any successor trustee under the
Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon
which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This
Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited
in aggregate principal amount to $300,000,000, subject to certain exceptions
referred to in the Indenture. In addition, the Company may from time to time
without the consent of the Holders of Securities create and issue further
securities having the same terms and conditions as the Securities in all
respects (or in all respects except for the issue date and issue price) and so
that such further issue shall be consolidated and form a single series with the
outstanding securities of this series (including the Securities) or upon such
terms as the Company may determine at the time of their issue. References herein
to the Securities include (unless the context requires otherwise) any other
securities issued as described in this paragraph and forming a single series
with the Securities.

        The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less
than 30 days' notice by mail, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company
at any time at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the
principal amount of the Securities so redeemed or (ii) as determined by a
Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
payments of principal and interest thereon (not including any portion of such
payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to the
redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 25 basis points plus, in each
case, accrued interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

        "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury security
selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining
term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of
selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new
issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term
of the Securities.

        "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any redemption date,
(i) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations (as defined) for
such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (ii) if the Trustee obtains fewer than three such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Quotations.

         "Quotation Agent" means the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the
Company.

<PAGE>   8

         "Reference Treasury Dealer" means (i) each of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.,
Chase Securities Inc., Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
and their respective successors unless any of them shall cease to be a primary
U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary Treasury
Dealer"), in which case the Company shall substitute another Primary Treasury
Dealer, and (ii) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

        "Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each
Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by
the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in
writing to the Trustee by such Treasury Reference Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

        "Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any redemption date, (i) the
yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately
preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release
designated "H.15(519)" or any successor publication which is published weekly by
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes
yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant
maturity under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities," for the maturity
corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three
months before or after the term of the Notes, yields for the two published
maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be
determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from the
yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month) or (ii) if such
statistical release (or any successor release) is not published during the week
preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per
year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable
Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as
a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for
that redemption date. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third Business
Day preceding the redemption date.

        In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security
or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof
will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

        This Security shall have the benefit of the covenants and agreements set
forth in the Indenture. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of the
entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants with
respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions
set forth in the Indenture.

        If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.

<PAGE>   9
        The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the transfer
hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

        As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the
Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding
with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or
for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given
the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the
Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount
of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written
request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to
it, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a
direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any
such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of
this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any
premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed
herein.

        No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.

        As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the security
register, upon surrender of this Security for transfer at the office or agency
of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest
on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar
duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing,
and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of
authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be
issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

        The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons

<PAGE>   10
in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As provided in the
Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of
this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities
of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

        No service charge shall be made for any such transfer or exchange, but
the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

        Prior to due presentment of this Security for transfer, the Company, the
Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in
whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes,
whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee
nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

        This Security shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the
Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the
certificate of authentication on the other side of the Security.

        This Security shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

        All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall
have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
<PAGE>   11

                                     [FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

               I or we assign and transfer this Note to

                     (Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)

                         (Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)

         and irrevocably appoint ________________ as agent for the transfer of
         this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another
         to act for him.

Date:                                 Your Signature:
      --------------------                           ---------------------------

Signature Guarantee:
                    ------------------------------------                      -
                    (Signature must be guaranteed)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.

In connection with any transfer or exchange of any of the Notes evidenced by
this certificate occurring prior to the date that is two years after the later
of the date of original issuance of such Notes and the last date, if any, on
which such Notes were owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, the
undersigned confirms that such Notes are being:

CHECK ONE BOX BELOW:

            1     [ ] acquired for the undersigned's own account, without
                      transfer; or

            2     [ ] transferred to the Company; or

            3     [ ] transferred pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A
                      under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
                      "Securities Act"); or

            4     [ ] transferred pursuant to an effective registration
                      statement under the Securities Act; or

            5     [ ] transferred pursuant to and in compliance with
                      Regulation S under the Securities Act; or

<PAGE>   12
            6     [ ] transferred to an institutional "accredited investor"
                      (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under
                      the Securities Act), that has furnished to the
                      Trustee a signed letter containing certain
                      representations and agreements that it is acquiring
                      this Notes for investment and not with a view to, or
                      for offer or sale in connection with, any
                      distribution (as contemplated in the Securities Act)
                      or fractionalization thereof or with any intention of
                      reselling the Note or any part thereof, subject to
                      any requirement of law that the disposition of its
                      property will be at all times within its control and
                      subject to its ability to resell this Note pursuant
                      to Rule 144A, Regulation S or other exemption from
                      registration available under the Securities Act; or

          7       [ ] transferred pursuant to another available exemption from
                      the registration requirements of the Securities Act of
                      1933.

Unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee will refuse to register any of
the Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any person other than the
registered holder thereof; provided, however, that if box (5), (6) or (7) is
checked, the Trustee or the Company may require, prior to registering any such
transfer of the Notes, in their sole discretion, such legal opinions,
certifications and other information as the Trustee or the Company may
reasonably request to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, such as the exemption provided by
Rule 144 under such Act.

                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Signature

Signature Guarantee:

--------------------------------            ------------------------------------
(Signature must be guaranteed)              Signature

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) OR (3) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

               The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing
this Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises
sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a "qualified
institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and is aware that

<PAGE>   13
the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it
has received such information regarding the Company as the undersigned has
requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such
information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the
undersigned's foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from
registration provided by Rule 144A.

------------------------------------
Dated:

<PAGE>   14

                       SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES

               The initial principal amount of this Global Note is
              $300,000,000. The following increases or decreases in
                        this Global Note have been made:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              Principal Amount   Signature of
                                                              of this Global     authorized
                  Amount of decrease    Amount of increase    Note               signatory
                  in Principal Amount   in Principal Amount   following such     of Trustee or
Date of           of this Global        of this Global        decrease or        Notes
Exchange          Note                  Note                  increase           Custodian
--------          ------------------    ------------------    -----------------  --------------
<S>               <C>                   <C>                   <C>                <C>

</TABLE>
<PAGE>   15
         UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), NEW YORK, NEW
YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR
PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR
IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND
ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED
OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

         THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE
HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A
NOMINEE THEREOF. TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS
IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH
SUCCESSOR'S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE
LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE
INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.

         THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF IS DEEMED TO HAVE
AGREED TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT DATED
MARCH 22, 2001 (THE "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), AMONG THE COMPANY AND THE
INITIAL PURCHASERS, AS THEREIN DEFINED. THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO A HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY WITHOUT CHARGE UPON
WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE COMPANY AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.

         THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR
SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S.
PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION
HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT
PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN
OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
("REGULATION S"), (2) BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR
OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE "RESALE RESTRICTION
TERMINATION DATE") WHICH IS TWO YEARS AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE
HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY
<PAGE>   16
WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A)
TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED
EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON
IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE
144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE
ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE
TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND
SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S,
(E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE
501(a)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS ACQUIRING THE
SECURITY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN INSTITUTIONAL
ACCREDITED INVESTOR, IN EACH CASE IN A TRANSACTION INVOLVING A MINIMUM PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES OF $250,000, FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A
VIEW TO OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S AND
THE TRUSTEE'S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO
CLAUSES (D), (E) AND (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL,
CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM AND IN THE
CASE OF THE FOREGOING CLAUSE (E), A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM
APPEARING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS SECURITY IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE
TRANSFEROR TO THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED AFTER 40
CONSECUTIVE DAYS BEGINNING ON AND INCLUDING THE LATER OF (A) THE DAY ON WHICH
THE SECURITIES ARE OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN
REGULATION S) AND (B) THE DATE OF THE CLOSING OF THE ORIGINAL OFFERING. AS USED
HEREIN. THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION," "UNITED STATES" AND "U.S. PERSON" HAVE
THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                          6.625% Senior Notes due 2006

CUSIP No.:  U26483AA2                                             Note No.:  R-1
ISIN No.:  USU26483AA28
Common Code No.:  012690495

         THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized
<PAGE>   17
and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the
"Company", which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE &
CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum as set forth in the attached
Schedule of Increases and Decreases on March 15, 2006, and to pay interest
thereon from March 22, 2001 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to
which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on March 15 and
September 15 in each year, commencing September 15, at the rate of 6.625% per
annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose
name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the
close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be
the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be,
next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually
paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on
such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to
be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be mailed to Holders of Securities
of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be
paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as
more fully provided in said Indenture. Interest on the Securities of each series
shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

         Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest
on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in
The Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at any other office or agency
designated by the Company for such purpose, in such coin or currency of the
United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment
of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the
Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the
Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.

         If (i) the Company has not filed a registration statement (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act") registering a security substantially identical to
this Security (except that such security will not contain terms with respect to
transfer restrictions) (the "Exchange Securities") pursuant to an exchange offer
(the "Registered Exchange Offer") on or prior to 90 days following the date of
original issuance of this Security, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has not been declared effective within 150 days following the date of
original issuance of this Security, or (iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has
not been consummated or a registration statement registering this Security for
resale (the "Shelf Registration Statement") has not been declared effective on
or prior to 180 days following the date of original issuance of this Security
(each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a "Registration
Default"), then, as liquidated damages for such Registration Default, the per
annum interest rate on the
<PAGE>   18
Transferred Restricted Securities shall increase from and including the day next
following each such Registration Default, in each case at a rate equal to 0.25%
per annum until (i) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been filed,
(ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been declared effective or
(iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has been consummated or the Shelf
Registration Statement has been declared effective, as the case may be.
Following the cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated
damages shall cease. The aggregate amount of the liquidated damages in respect
of each of the Transfer Restricted Securities payable pursuant to such
provisions shall not exceed 0.75% per annum. The term "Transfer Restricted
Securities" means (i) each Security until the date on which such Security has
been exchanged for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) each Security or private exchange security ("Private
Exchange Securities" means securities that are exchanged by the Company in a
private exchange offer for a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities
of the Company that are identical in all material respects to the Exchange
Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to such Private
Exchange Securities) until the date on which it has been effectively registered
under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf
Registration Statement or (iii) each Security or Private Exchange Security until
the date on which it is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
The Company shall not be required to pay liquidated damages to a holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities if such holder has failed to comply with its
obligations to make the representations set forth in the second to last
paragraph of Section 1 of the Registration Rights Agreement or failed to provide
the information required to be provided by it, if any, pursuant to Section 4(n)
of the Registration Rights Agreement.

         In addition, if the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective
pursuant to Section 2 of the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Company
fails to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously (x) effective or (y)
useable for resales of the Transfer Restricted Securities for the period
required by Section 2(b) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and such failure
continues for more than 60 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month
period (the 61st day being referred to as the "Default Day"), then from the
Default Day until the earlier of (i) the date that the Shelf Registration
Statement is again deemed effective or is usable, (ii) the date that is two
years following the date of original issuance of this Security (or, if Rule
144(k) is amended to provide a shorter restrictive period, such shorter period)
or (iii) the date as of which all of the Transfer Restricted Securities are sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, liquidated damages in respect of
the Transfer Restricted Securities shall accrue at a rate equal to 0.25% per
annum.

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.
<PAGE>   19
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.

                                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                                          By:
                                              ----------------------------------

                                          Attest:
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                       Assistant Secretary
<PAGE>   20
                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:  March 22, 2001

                                   THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee

                                   By:
                                       -----------------------------------------

                                            Authorized Signatory
<PAGE>   21
                              [REVERSE OF SECURITY]

         This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more
series under an Indenture, dated as of March 22, 2001 (herein called the
"Indenture", which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such
instrument), between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein
called the "Trustee", which term includes any successor trustee under the
Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon
which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This
Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited
in aggregate principal amount to $300,000,000, subject to certain exceptions
referred to in the Indenture. In addition, the Company may from time to time
without the consent of the Holders of Securities create and issue further
securities having the same terms and conditions as the Securities in all
respects (or in all respects except for the issue date and issue price) and so
that such further issue shall be consolidated and form a single series with the
outstanding securities of this series (including the Securities) or upon such
terms as the Company may determine at the time of their issue. References herein
to the Securities include (unless the context requires otherwise) any other
securities issued as described in this paragraph and forming a single series
with the Securities.

         The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less
than 30 days' notice by mail, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company
at any time at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the
principal amount of the Securities so redeemed or (ii) as determined by a
Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
payments of principal and interest thereon (not including any portion of such
payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to the
redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 25 basis points plus, in each
case, accrued interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

         "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury security
selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining
term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of
selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new
issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term
of the Securities.

         "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any redemption date,
(i) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations (as defined) for
such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (ii) if the Trustee obtains fewer than three such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Quotations.

         "Quotation Agent" means the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the
Company.
<PAGE>   22
         "Reference Treasury Dealer" means (i) each of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.,
Chase Securities Inc., Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
and their respective successors unless any of them shall cease to be a primary
U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary Treasury
Dealer"), in which case the Company shall substitute another Primary Treasury
Dealer, and (ii) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

         "Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each
Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by
the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in
writing to the Trustee by such Treasury Reference Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

         "Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any redemption date, (i) the
yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately
preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release
designated "H.15(519)" or any successor publication which is published weekly by
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes
yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant
maturity under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities," for the maturity
corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three
months before or after the term of the Notes, yields for the two published
maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be
determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from the
yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month) or (ii) if such
statistical release (or any successor release) is not published during the week
preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per
year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable
Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as
a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for
that redemption date. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third Business
Day preceding the redemption date.

         In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new
Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed
portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the
cancellation hereof.

         This Security shall have the benefit of the covenants and agreements
set forth in the Indenture. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of
the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants with
respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions
set forth in the Indenture.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.
<PAGE>   23
         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the transfer
hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

         As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the
Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding
with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or
for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given
the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the
Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount
of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written
request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to
it, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a
direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any
such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of
this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any
premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed
herein.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the security
register, upon surrender of this Security for transfer at the office or agency
of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest
on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar
duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing,
and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of
authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be
issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

         The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons
<PAGE>   24
in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As provided in the
Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of
this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities
of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such transfer or exchange, but
the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Security for transfer, the Company,
the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in
whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes,
whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee
nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         This Security shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the
Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the
certificate of authentication on the other side of the Security.

         This Security shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

         All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
<PAGE>   25
                              [FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

                  I or we assign and transfer this Note to

                  --------------------------------------------------------
                  (Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)

                  ---------------------------------------------------------
                           (Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)

         and irrevocably appoint ________________ as agent for the transfer of
this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act
for him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:                                  Your Signature:
     --------------------                            ---------------------------

Signature Guarantee:  __________________________________________________________
                           (Signature must be guaranteed)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.

In connection with any transfer or exchange of any of the Notes evidenced by
this certificate occurring prior to the date that is two years after the later
of the date of original issuance of such Notes and the last date, if any, on
which such Notes were owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, the
undersigned confirms that such Notes are being:

CHECK ONE BOX BELOW:

  1  [  ]   acquired for the undersigned's own account, without transfer; or

  2  [  ]   transferred to the Company; or

  3  [  ]   transferred pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A under
            the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"); or

  4  [  ]   transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under
            the Securities Act; or

  5  [  ]   transferred pursuant to and in compliance with Regulation S under
            the Securities Act; or
<PAGE>   26
  6  [  ]   transferred to an institutional "accredited investor" (as defined
            in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act),
            that has furnished to the Trustee a signed letter containing
            certain representations and agreements that it is acquiring this
            Notes for investment and not with a view to, or for offer or sale
            in connection with, any distribution (as contemplated in the
            Securities Act) or fractionalization thereof or with any
            intention of reselling the Note or any part thereof, subject to
            any requirement of law that the disposition of its property will
            be at all times within its control and subject to its ability to
            resell this Note pursuant to Rule 144A, Regulation S or other
            exemption from registration available under the Securities Act;
            or

  7  [  ]   transferred pursuant to another available exemption from the
            registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933.

Unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee will refuse to register any of
the Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any person other than the
registered holder thereof; provided, however, that if box (5), (6) or (7) is
checked, the Trustee or the Company may require, prior to registering any such
transfer of the Notes, in their sole discretion, such legal opinions,
certifications and other information as the Trustee or the Company may
reasonably request to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, such as the exemption provided by
Rule 144 under such Act.

                                    ------------------------------------
                                    Signature

Signature Guarantee:

--------------------------------    ------------------------------------
(Signature must be guaranteed)      Signature

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) OR (3) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

                  The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing
this Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises
sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a "qualified
institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and is aware that
<PAGE>   27
the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it
has received such information regarding the Company as the undersigned has
requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such
information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the
undersigned's foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from
registration provided by Rule 144A.

--------------------------------------------
Dated:
<PAGE>   28
                       SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES

                                   The initial
principal amount of this Global Note is $300,000,000. The following increases or
                 decreases in this Global Note have been made:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>        <C>                  <C>                  <C>                  <C>
                                                     Principal Amount of
           Amount of decrease   Amount of increase   this Global Note     Signature of
           in Principal Amount  in Principal Amount  following such       authorized signatory
Date of    of this Global       of this Global       decrease or          of Trustee or Notes
Exchange   Note                 Note                 increase             Custodian
</TABLE>

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