The 'virus', which is contained inside an illegal version of Ojom's Mosquitos game, instructs smart phones running the Symbian Series 60 User Interface to send unauthorised texts to premium rate numbers.
Symbian issued information about the 'virus' yesterday, explaining that a phone can only be infected if the user deliberately installs a pirated version of the game, and ignores a clear warning that the identity of the developer of the 'cracked' version of the game is unknown.
Uninstalling and deleting the game will cure the problem, said Symbian. The software licensing company then revealed that the 'virus' had not been planted in the game by a third party.
"It is reported that the SMS functionality was incorporated in early versions of the game by the legitimate manufacturer as an experimental licensing and copy protection mechanism," said Symbian. "This licensing mechanism is not present in the final commercial version, but the illegal copies are based on an early version and still include the SMS functionality."
Speaking to the BBC, Mikko Hypponen, head of anti-virus research at F-Secure said that the program had been intended to secretly send a text to Ojom to alert the firm if an illegal copy of the game was being used.
"It did not work the way it was supposed to; they had complaints and removed it from the game, " said Mr Hypponen.
In a statement on its web site, F-Secure explained:
"According to the manufacturer, the premium rate contract for the receiving phone numbers has been terminated, so although old versions of the game still send hidden SMS messages, it only costs the nominal fee of sending the message itself."