Email cracking problem - private

I have a real problem here - one of my 'friends' seems to have discovered a way of cracking emails, notabley hotmail.
Could someone PM me about how this was possible as it is causing a lot of backlash.
I am not asking how it was done, just how possible it is.

 

it's very possible . -especially if your password is weak. if you still have access to your hotmail account then you should change your password to something that is not found in any dictionary -ie: make up your own word. It is also reccomended that you use letters AND numbers in your password (preferably not at the beginning or end of the password).
I would next re-evaluate who I considered 'friend' -as none of MY true friends would ever hack my accounts.
Hope this helped.
-522.

 

Thank you for the response.
From what I can tell it must have been done by guessing the answer to the 'secret question' facility for retreiving your own password - I can't find any other way of doing it.
Yes the 'friendship' has been, umm, re-evaluated...