What is the best Malware/Virus protection program for iMac - no silicone processor

You need NO additional protection other than what Mac OS offers. If you have downloaded ANY third party;

• Antivirus apps
• Cleaning apps
• VPN Apps
• Security Apps
• Maintenance Apps

Then you have put your Mac at risk. You did not call Apple, Apple will NEVER contact you for any security issues. If you need to call AppleCare please click the following link to locate the phone number in your general area: AppleCare Contact Info

If you did install any of the types of apps mentioned above, please locate the developers uninstall instructions and follow them.

The best protection for your Mac is Mac OS itself. Please keep Mac OS up-to-date and restart the Mac about 1x per week. Other than that please leave it alone. If you are super paronoid you can download the free version of Malwarebytes and let it scan your system for any problems that you have installed.

Just like cicero 2, my computer has been frozen with a loud and detailed warning telling me not to shut down the computer but to call Apple at a specific phone number. Unfortunatly I did call the number but got what sounded like a fax machine...how is this going to effect me? I just shut down the Macbook. Can the call effect my iphone? (I15)

Consider whether the folks that have caused this chaos to get you to load apps aren’t then going to use those added apps to cause you yet more chaos.

Some of the add-on anti-malware apps have gotten fined for selling all sorts of personally-identified information.

Add-on anti-malware is increasingly indistinguishable from actual malware. And you’re reading an advertisement.

What usually works here: Restart Safari with the shift key held, and maybe clear saved data but only if necessary.

Extra protection is not nessecary. Apple computes have good antivirus and malware protection built in

If you think your Mac has malware you can always scan it with malwarebytes, but for the day to day protection there is no extra software needed. All that will do is interfere with the built in security of macOS, making your Mac less secure

You don't need "extra" protection.

See…

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

dmj4u2 wrote:

Just like cicero 2, my computer has been frozen with a loud and detailed warning telling me not to shut down the computer but to call Apple at a specific phone number. Unfortunatly I did call the number but got what sounded like a fax machine...how is this going to effect me? I just shut down the Macbook. Can the call effect my iphone? (I15)

It's not going to affect you at all. It was a phishing attempt, apparently a rather inept one. Someone of less than sterling character was trying to trick you into giving up valuable personal information.