Security experts are urging iPhone users to be vigilant as the world’s first self-replicating iPhone virus is discovered.

The virus is thought to affect all generations of iPhones, and in crucial contrast to the only known iPhone virus, also affects non-jailbroken handsets – putting 25 million iPhone users at risk worldwide.

Users have reported that the virus causes all applications and web page links to disappear from the home screen and subsequent pages, as if they have fallen out the bottom of the device.

Two men in Japan, where the virus was first uncovered, managed to capture the malware – dubbed the ‘iLax virus’ – in action on camera.

iPhone users concerned that their handset might be at risk are being urged to visit the iLax virus advisory website.