The most widely used asymmetric encryption algorithm is which of the following?

The most widely used asymmetric encryption algorithm is Rivest-Shamir-Adleman, commonly known as RSA. RSA is renowned for its robustness and has become the standard for secure data transmission, especially in scenarios like secure web browsing (SSL/TLS) and email encryption.

RSA operates on the principle of two keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. This asymmetric approach provides significant advantages over symmetric algorithms, such as not requiring the secure exchange of a key, which can be a substantial vulnerability in symmetric encryption systems. The security of RSA relies on the practical difficulty of factoring the product of two large prime numbers, making it a secure choice for various applications.

Other options represent different types of cryptographic algorithms. Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is indeed becoming more popular due to its efficiency and smaller key sizes, but as of the last few years, RSA still holds its ground as the most widely adopted for asymmetric encryption. 3DES and Blowfish are symmetric encryption algorithms and do not fit the criteria for this question as they do not use a public-private key paradigm. Thus, the recognition of RSA as the most widely utilized asymmetric encryption method is well-founded based on its long-standing application and established trust in the field of