A recent security glitch at Companies House accidentally made personal data for directors visible online. Home addresses, email addresses, and full birthdates could be accessed by anyone who knew a company number and navigated the system the wrong way. And scarily, it could even be changed.

The issue was discovered by an external security provider, who reported being able to see dashboards for other companies. Companies House quickly took WebFiling offline while they fixed the problem. They’ve reassured directors that filing deadlines won’t be affected during the outage. 

The worrying part? Exploiting the glitch didn’t require hacking skills. Simply clicking the “back” button three times could let someone see another company’s data. While there was no evidence that anyone misused the information, experts warned it could have been exploited for identity theft, phishing, or other scams. It was also not yet known how long the system had been vulnerable or whether Companies House could identify which companies had been accessed.

This isn’t the first time Companies House tech has caused concern. Past system updates have raised questions about whether the registry balances transparency with proper data protection.

What you can do right now

• Check your company records on Companies House once WebFiling is back online.
• Verify that all director details are correct.
• Be alert for suspicious emails claiming to be from Companies House.

For small business owners, this is a reminder that personal data is out there, and even trusted systems can have vulnerabilities. Keeping an eye on your company records and staying vigilant is the best way to protect yourself.

Protecting your privacy with virtual registered offices

If you want to keep your personal address off public records entirely, consider using a virtual office service like Hoxton Mix. Not only does it give you a professional looking registered office address, mail handling, and full dashboard visibility, but it also means your address is kept out of the public eye. 

Already a Crunch client?

The great news is that if you’re already a Crunch accounting client, you can access this service for just £8+VAT/month, which is a fraction of the cost if you go direct. It’s also included for free if you’re a Crunch Premium customer.