only match if output is "data"

cmd/validate/image.go

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
 	"runtime/trace"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -411,7 +412,7 @@ func validateImageCmd(validate imageValidationFunc) *cobra.Command {
 				} else {
 					components = append(components, r.component)
 					// evaluator data is duplicated per component, so only collect it once.
-					if len(evaluatorData) == 0 {
+					if len(evaluatorData) == 0 && containsData(data.output) {
 						evaluatorData = append(evaluatorData, r.data)
 					}
 					manyPolicyInput = append(manyPolicyInput, r.policyInput)
@@ -541,3 +542,17 @@ func validateImageCmd(validate imageValidationFunc) *cobra.Command {
 
 	return cmd
 }
+
+// find if the slice contains "data" output
+func containsData(data []string) bool {
+	// regex pattern to match "data" or "data=something"
+	pattern := `^data(=.*)?$`
+	re := regexp.MustCompile(pattern)
+
+	for _, item := range data {
+		if re.MatchString(item) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}

cmd/validate/image_test.go

@@ -1302,3 +1302,27 @@ func TestValidateImageDefaultOutput(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, c.expected, out.String())
 	}
 }
+
+// TestContainsData validates containsData behavior
+func TestContainsData(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		input    []string
+		expected bool
+		name     string
+	}{
+		{[]string{"data"}, true, "Match single data"},
+		{[]string{"data=something"}, true, "Match data=something"},
+		{[]string{"text=data-file.txt"}, false, "Do not match text=data-file.txt"},
+		{[]string{"json", "data=custom-data.yaml"}, true, "Match data in slice with multiple values"},
+		{[]string{"data text"}, false, "Do not match data text"},
+		{[]string{"dat"}, false, "Do not match dat"},
+		{[]string{"data123"}, false, "Do not match data123"},
+		{[]string{"data="}, true, "Match data="},
+		{[]string{""}, false, "Do not match empty string"},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		result := containsData(test.input)
+		assert.Equal(t, test.expected, result, test.name)
+	}
+}