Asymmetric algorithms, also known as public-key cryptography, use a pair of keys for secure communication: a public key and a private key. The public key can be shared openly, while the private key is kept secret. This allows users to encrypt messages with the public key, ensuring that only the holder of the private key can decrypt and read them. These algorithms are fundamental to modern security protocols, including those used in SSL/TLS for secure web browsing and PGP for email encryption. Popular asymmetric algorithms include RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), which provide strong security for data transmission and digital signatures.