Apache Gurus, please answer a questoin re: username/password on a secured website

say i have a site that is secured through mod_ssl and openssl. now when
people go to this site and use https, it goes to port443. now if there
is a htaccess file requesting a username/password for the site(i know
not the best way but it fits with what is needed...), is that little
window that pops up so visitors can input their username/pass running
under the encryption too? or is it transmitted differently?

thanks in advance,
bob