Global Updates on Security, Transparency and Register Integrity
March was dominated by the Companies House WebFiling breach, a five-month vulnerability that exposed millions of directors and sharpened the debate over register data quality and liability. Europe advanced its ‘28th regime’ company proposal, Malaysia’s SSM corruption saga widened, and more. Here is our round-up of the month’s corporate-registry news.
Here are this month’s highlights:
- United Kingdom: Companies House WebFiling breach exposes millions of directors
A flaw in the Companies House WebFiling service, live since October 2025, let logged-in users view and edit other companies’ details, exposing the data of up to five million directors and enabling potential company hijacking. The service was pulled offline, fixed and restored, with the chief executive apologising and firms urged to check their records.
Read More - European Union: Commission publishes the ‘28th Regime’ (EU Inc.) proposal
The European Commission formally proposed a pan-European company structure — the ‘28th regime’ or ‘EU Inc’ — that would sit alongside national forms and could carry a European company register.
Read More - Malaysia: Fresh bribery charges against SSM deputy CEO
SSM deputy chief executive Khuzairi Yahaya was charged and hit with additional counts over alleged cash payments, extending the corruption spotlight on Malaysia’s companies commission.
Read Mor - New Zealand: Court of Appeal warning on automated and AI-driven decisions
A Court of Appeal ruling put agencies on notice that automated and AI decisions are not beyond judicial review, prompting debate about liability where a Registrar’s statutory decisions are system-made.
Read More - Australia: Fraud investigators warn on shelf-company misuse
Investigators flagged a growing black market in shelf companies and hijacked entities used for business fraud, underscoring the case for stronger register authentication.
Read More - United States: Hundreds of California business registrations may be fraudulent
An investigation found criminals creating fake business entities registered with the California Secretary of State, often targeting legal immigrants’ identities.
Read More - New Zealand: Digital Target State sets direction for government services
New Zealand published its Digital Target State, signalling a customer-oriented public-sector operating model — and a potential opening for common registry platforms and credential verification.
Read More - Jamaica: Companies Office moves core filings online
Jamaica’s Companies Office shifted core business filings online, continuing the Caribbean’s steady march toward digital registers.
Read More - Barbados: New beneficial-ownership register to expose hidden owners
Barbados moved to strengthen oversight of its international-business sector with a beneficial-ownership register to identify the real individuals behind companies.
Read More - United Kingdom: Companies House ramps up prosecutions for late accounts
Companies House began cracking down on late filers, signalling a more assertive enforcement posture under its new powers.
Read More - New Zealand: Government data held by ‘unvetted third parties’
A Treasury report found government data — including register-adjacent systems — held by unvetted third parties, feeding a wider cyber-security tightening across agencies.
Read More
Stay updated by visiting often our "Registry News Weekly" summary and the Foster Moore blog for more insights on these stories and other key registry news.
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