What does data flow coverage focus on assessing?

Data flow coverage primarily focuses on assessing feasible data flows through the program. This means that it analyzes how data moves within the application, particularly how variables are defined, modified, and used throughout the executable code. By concentrating on data flow, this approach ensures that all potential paths that data might take, including any interactions and dependencies, are evaluated. This is crucial for identifying any vulnerabilities related to improper handling of data, such as uninitialized variables or misuse of mutable state, which could lead to security flaws.

In contrast, other assessment methods like condition coverage, loop iterations, or branch decisions look at different aspects of program execution, such as how logical conditions are evaluated and how loops behave, but they do not specifically address the paths that data might take or how it is manipulated throughout those paths. Data flow coverage provides a comprehensive view necessary for understanding and securing how data is processed within various contexts.