diff --git a/sm/certreqgen.c b/sm/certreqgen.c
index 9720b80e2..0774591ba 100644
--- a/sm/certreqgen.c
+++ b/sm/certreqgen.c
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ create_request (ctrl_t ctrl,
   if (string)
     mdalgo = gcry_md_map_name (string);
   else
-    mdalgo = GCRY_MD_SHA1;
+    mdalgo = GCRY_MD_SHA256;
   rc = gcry_md_open (&md, mdalgo, 0);
   if (rc)
     {
diff --git a/sm/gpgsm.c b/sm/gpgsm.c
index 62e29b86f..773cf9cab 100644
--- a/sm/gpgsm.c
+++ b/sm/gpgsm.c
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ static int default_include_certs = DEFAULT_INCLUDE_CERTS;
 static int default_validation_model;
 
 /* The default cipher algo.  */
-#define DEFAULT_CIPHER_ALGO "3DES"  /*des-EDE3-CBC*/
+#define DEFAULT_CIPHER_ALGO "AES"
 
 
 static char *build_list (const char *text,