An antidote has been found for a harmful mobile phone virus masquerading as a short messaging service (SMS) message affecting users in the UAE and the rest of the Gulf.

The insidious virus has been preying on Nokia mobile phones in the Gulf.

But timely intervention by the world's leading mobile phone manufacturer neutralised the virus, according to a company official.

Eddie Maalouf, marketing manager Nokia (Middle East), said: "We have been alerted about a harmful SMS being intentionally distributed by mobile phone users in the region."

He said that Nokia has since developed new software that is immune to that specific harmful SMS. The company is now preparing this to be distributed to all its service centres.

The same antidote is being introduced in new phones that are being produced.

Nokia was earlier alerted that SMS messages incorporating harmful programming were deliberately being sent to mobile phones in the region.

The Finnish mobile phone giant has successfully developed and tested a solution which it is now packaging for distribution to retail outlets.

This upgrade will make Nokia's phones immune to this harmful SMS.

"We have officially advised all our authorised centres to make sure that the new software flashing is handled upon customer request when such cases appear with existing phones in the market," he stressed.

Maalouf added: "It is unfortunate that these messages are distributed intentionally by some users, unlike common computer viruses that are automatically distributed using the user's personal address book."

"Harmful SMSs can only be sent by people who intentionally wish to damage the recipient's mobile phone and cannot circulate on their own. These harmful messages are received in the form of an Arabic text message which, once opened, will prevent some phones from working.

"Our customers are our most important concern and we are working closely with our authorised retail outlets to ensure that these upgrades take place as quickly and conveniently as possible," said Maalouf.