[thelist] how secure is .htaccess?

[Lisa Frost]

Please excuse my ignorance about .htaccess

I have discovered that it is very easy to set up a .htaccess directory
at my host, but was wondering how secure these folders actually are.
For example, my client wants to put up a copy of his passport in there
so that if he loses it whilst flying around the world he can just
download a copy from anywhere to help with sorting out a new one.
Obviously he does not want every Tom, Dick and Harry getting their hands
on a copy. So would it be safe to put it in a .htaccess directory?

Secondly, are search engines able to spider .htaccess directories?

Thanks

Lisa.