Stumbled across a strange Alexa skill.

[mcdj]

We’ve been thinking of getting my mother in-law an Echo Show (Echo with a screen) for Xmas.

Her primary use would be in the kitchen, reading recipes. So I decided to check my own Alexa app to see what recipe skills were out there.

I came across this one, called Easy Recipes...

https://skills-store.amazon.com/deeplink/dp/B074VBP5T2?deviceType=app&share&refSuffix=ss_copy

The developer’s name is in Chinese. Amazon says the app contains “dynamic content” which is updated in real time by the developer. Whatever that means. This message is accompanied by a button that says “I understand.”

Google translates the developer’s name to “Beijing Jinshan Security Software Co., Ltd.”. Google says this company was founded in the ‘70s, made computers for some time and now makes software, including anti virus software under the name Kingsoft.

With the (not so) recent revelations about Kaspersky, one has to wonder, why is a Chinese anti virus software company writing an Alexa skill that claims to search for recipes?

There are tons of weird, bad, and even questionable looking Chinese apps on the App Store, but we don’t hear about spyware or malware on iOS devices, mostly I assume, because Apple is vetting these apps. I’ve always viewed them as a quick way to make a cheap buck as many of them are just knockoffs or clones of existing apps and ideas.

But is Amazon vetting skills? What’s with the dynamic content disclaimer? What does Beijing Jinshan Security Software Co., Ltd. have to gain financially by getting me to use their Alexa skill to search for recipes?

How do I know this app isn’t letting itself into my WiFi network, recording my voice all day, etc?

Sounds paranoid, I know. But very odd to me.

 

[Weaselboy]

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=14284823011

I don't know the answer to your question about how much Amazon vets skills, but this page lists some recipe skills that are from known web sites like Food Network and such that might be better than some unknown developer.

 

[mcdj]

Thanks. I was more curious to hear what people thought about the implications of a Chinese virus software maker creating a random recipes Alexa skill.

 

[cynics]

We’ve been thinking of getting my mother in-law an Echo Show (Echo with a screen) for Xmas.

Her primary use would be in the kitchen, reading recipes. So I decided to check my own Alexa app to see what recipe skills were out there.

I came across this one, called Easy Recipes...

https://skills-store.amazon.com/deeplink/dp/B074VBP5T2?deviceType=app&share&refSuffix=ss_copy

The developer’s name is in Chinese. Amazon says the app contains “dynamic content” which is updated in real time by the developer. Whatever that means. This message is accompanied by a button that says “I understand.”

Google translates the developer’s name to “Beijing Jinshan Security Software Co., Ltd.”. Google says this company was founded in the ‘70s, made computers for some time and now makes software, including anti virus software under the name Kingsoft.

With the (not so) recent revelations about Kaspersky, one has to wonder, why is a Chinese anti virus software company writing an Alexa skill that claims to search for recipes?

There are tons of weird, bad, and even questionable looking Chinese apps on the App Store, but we don’t hear about spyware or malware on iOS devices, mostly I assume, because Apple is vetting these apps. I’ve always viewed them as a quick way to make a cheap buck as many of them are just knockoffs or clones of existing apps and ideas.

But is Amazon vetting skills? What’s with the dynamic content disclaimer? What does Beijing Jinshan Security Software Co., Ltd. have to gain financially by getting me to use their Alexa skill to search for recipes?

How do I know this app isn’t letting itself into my WiFi network, recording my voice all day, etc?

Sounds paranoid, I know. But very odd to me.

Dynamic content just means the content is changing and updated. Something I would expect from a recipe skill so new recipes can be added.

Jinshan translates to Kingsoft btw. They have a good reputation and mostly know for WPS Office nowadays (I used it with Linux which is why I've familiar with it). But looking online they have software (or subsidiaries do) in a lot of categories from games to productivity tools. They also partnered with DropBox of couple years ago apparently.

The Alexa Skill developers profit by engagement. However I think amazon is rolling out in app (in skill?) purchases too.

Although I tend to agree, err on the side of caution.