Exhibit 4.2

GLOBAL NOTE

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 DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

3.250% Senior Notes due 2017

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 December 1, 2017, and to pay interest thereon from December 3, 2012 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on June 1 and December 1 in each year, commencing June 1, 2013, at the rate of 3.250% per annum (subject to adjustment as provided herein), until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate per annum then in effect on this Security (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. 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 May 15 or November 15 (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 this 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.

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.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

2017 Note

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

Dated: December 3, 2012

[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 14, 2006, as amended and supplemented by the first supplemental indenture, dated as of December 3, 2012 (as so amended and supplemented, 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 Mellon (formerly known as 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 $450,000,000, 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’ and not more than 60 days’ notice by mail, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest in respect of the Securities to be redeemed (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 40 basis points, plus, in each case, any interest accrued but not paid on the Securities to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealers as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities 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.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (i) each of Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and their respective successors unless either 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 two Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to the Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, 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 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the third business day immediately preceding that Redemption Date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations 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.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities, Holders of Securities will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or a portion of the Securities pursuant to the offer described below (a “Change of Control Offer”), at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase, subject to the rights of Holders of Securities on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date.

Within 30 days following the date upon which the Change of Control Triggering Event occurred, or at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control but after the public announcement of the pending Change of Control, the Company will be required to send, by first class mail, a notice to Holders of Securities, with a copy to the Trustee, which notice will govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer. Such notice will state, among other things, the purchase date, which must be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, other than as may be required by law (the “Change of Control Payment Date”). The notice, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, will state that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control being consummated on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date. Holders of Securities electing to have Securities purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender their Securities, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Securities completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice, or transfer their Securities to the Paying Agent by book-entry transfer pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Paying Agent, prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.

The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for such an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all Securities properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Securities are rated below Investment Grade by each Rating Agency on any date during the period (the “Trigger Period”) commencing 60 days prior to the first public announcement by the Company of any Change of Control (or pending Change of Control) and ending 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any Rating Agency).

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any one of the following:

(1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than to the Company or one of its subsidiaries;

(2) the consummation of any transaction (including without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares;

(3) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any person, or any person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or such other person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Voting Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Stock of the surviving person immediately after giving effect to such transaction;

(4) the first day on which the majority of the members of the board of directors of the Company cease to be Continuing Directors; or

(5) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.

“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control Triggering Event will be deemed to have occurred in connection with any particular Change of Control unless and until such Change of Control has actually been consummated.

“Company” means The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and any successor thereto permitted under the Indenture.

“Continuing Director” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the board of directors of the Company who:

(1) was a member of such board of directors on the date of the issuance of the Securities; or

(2) was nominated for election or elected to such board of directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such board of directors at the time of such nomination or election.

“Fitch” means Fitch, Inc., a jointly-owned subsidiary of Fimalac, S.A. and the Hearst Corporation, and their successors.

“Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating category of S&P) and a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating category of Fitch).

“Rating Agency” means (1) each of S&P and Fitch; and (2) if any of S&P or Fitch ceases to rate the Securities or fails to make a rating of the Securities publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the board of directors of the Company and reasonably acceptable to the Trustee) as a replacement agency for S&P or Fitch, or all of them, as the case may be.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and its successors.

“Voting Stock” of any specified person as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

The interest rate payable on the Securities of this series shall adjust if either of Fitch or S&P, or any Substitute Rating Agency (as defined below), downgrades (or subsequently upgrades) the debt rating assigned to the Securities, in the manner described below.

If the rating of the Securities of this series from Fitch or any Substitute Rating Agency is decreased to a rating set forth in the immediately following table, the interest rate on the Securities shall increase from the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance by the percentage set forth opposite that rating:

If the rating of the Securities of this series from S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency is decreased to a rating set forth in the immediately following table, the interest rate on the Securities shall increase from the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance by the percentage set forth opposite that rating:

If at any time the interest rate on the Securities of this series has been adjusted upward and either Fitch or S&P (or either Substitute Rating Agency), as the case may be, subsequently increases its rating of the Securities to any of the threshold ratings set forth above, the interest rate on the Securities shall decrease such that the interest rate for the Securities equals the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance plus the applicable percentages set forth opposite the ratings from the tables above in effect immediately following the increase. If Fitch or any Substitute Rating Agency subsequently increases its rating of such Securities to BBB- (or its equivalent, in the case of a Substitute Rating Agency) or higher and S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency increases its rating to BBB- (or its equivalent, in the case of a Substitute Rating Agency) or higher, the interest rate on the Securities shall decrease to the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance.

Each adjustment required by any decrease or increase in a rating set forth above, whether occasioned by the action of Fitch, S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency, shall be made independent of any and all other adjustments. In no event shall (1) the interest rate for the Securities be reduced to below the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance or (2) the total increase in the interest rate on the Securities exceed 2.00% above the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance.

No adjustments in the interest rate of the Securities of this series shall be made solely as a result of a rating agency ceasing to provide a rating. If at any time less than two Rating Agencies provide a rating of the Securities, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a rating of the senior Securities of that series from another Rating Agency, to the extent one exists, and if another such Rating Agency rates the Securities (such rating agency, a “Substitute Rating Agency”), for purposes of determining any increase or decrease in the interest rate on the Securities pursuant to the table above (a) such Substitute Rating Agency will be substituted for the last Rating Agency to provide a rating of the Securities but which has since ceased to provide such rating, (b) the relative ratings scale used by such Substitute Rating Agency to assign ratings to senior unsecured debt will be determined in good faith by an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company and, for purposes of determining the applicable ratings included in the applicable table above with respect to such Substitute Rating Agency, such ratings will be deemed to be the equivalent ratings used by Fitch or S&P, as applicable, in such table and (c) the interest rate on the Securities will increase or decrease, as the case may be, such that the interest rate equals the interest rate payable on the Securities on their date of issuance plus the appropriate percentage, if any, set forth opposite the rating from such Substitute Rating Agency in the applicable table

above (taking into account the provisions of clause (b) above) (plus any applicable percentage resulting from a decreased rating by the other rating agency). For so long as only one Rating Agency provides a rating of the Securities, any subsequent increase or decrease in the interest rate of the Securities necessitated by a reduction or increase in the rating by the agency providing the rating shall be twice the percentage set forth in the applicable table above. For so long as no Rating Agency provides a rating of the Securities, the interest rate on the Securities shall increase to, or remain at, as the case may be, 2.00% above the interest rate payable on the Securities on the date of their issuance.

Any interest rate increase or decrease described herein will take effect from the first day of the interest period during which a rating change requires an adjustment in the interest rate. If Fitch or S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency changes its rating of the Securities more than once during any particular interest period, the last change by such agency during such period shall control for purposes of any interest rate increase or decrease described herein relating to such agency’s action.

If the interest rate payable on the Securities of this series is increased as described herein, the term “interest,” as applicable to the Securities, shall be deemed to include any such additional interest unless the context otherwise requires.

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.

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 in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess 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.

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES

The initial principal amount of this Global Note is

$450,000,000. The following increases or decreases in

this Global Note have been made:

OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If the undersigned wants to elect to have this Security purchased by the Company pursuant to the provisions hereof, check the box below:

¨

If the undersigned wants to elect to have only part of the Security purchased by the Company pursuant to the provisions hereof, state the amount the undersigned elects to have purchased:

$

NOTE: The signature to this assignment must correspond exactly with the name as written upon the face of the within Global Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever and must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company having its principal office or correspondent in The City of New York or by a member of the New York Stock Exchange.