An open proxy is the same as a regular proxy (a server you place between your machine and the internet), except that open proxies are accessible by anyone on the internet instead of just your local network of computers.

Regular or closed proxies will typically require an account to use, and some sort of registration, open proxies are freely available for anyone to use. They basically act as an intermediary between users and the websites they visit, hiding the user’s identity and location just like regular proxies. Open proxies can also help access blocked content or maintain privacy.

However, the downside of open proxies is that they are often used for malware and can be blocked by websites. Because of the high risk of malicious traffic, apps/websites will sometimes flag your account or ban you if they detect that you are using an open proxy, even though you may not actually be using one.

The easiest way to check if your IP has been flagged as an open proxy IP is to use any number of online sites that you can look up your IP on.