Permanently delete objects in a versioned S3 bucket

permdelete.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

"""
Permanently delete all "deleted" objects in a versioned S3 bucket.

In a versioned bucket, just deleting an object does not actually delete it
(though bucket lifecycle policies may eventually do so). Previous versions
will still be in the bucket. Deletions are recorded as "delete markers". 

Use this script if you really really want to permanently delete all
versions of "deleted" items in a bucket. 

NOTE: Once you have permanently deleted an object with this script, there
is no getting it back. It's gone!

"""

import boto3

bucket = "fh-pi-meshinchi-s" # change this to match your bucket
args = {}
s3 = boto3.client("s3")
args = dict(Bucket=bucket)
# you could set args['Prefix'] here if you only want to operate on a certain prefix
results = {}

while True:
    resp = s3.list_object_versions(**args)
    if "Versions" in resp:
        for item in resp["Versions"]:
            results.setdefault(item["Key"], dict(objects=[], delete_markers=[]))[
                "objects"
            ].append(item)
    if "DeleteMarkers" in resp:
        for item in resp["DeleteMarkers"]:
            results.setdefault(item["Key"], dict(objects=[], delete_markers=[]))[
                "delete_markers"
            ].append(item)
    if not resp["IsTruncated"]:
        break
    args["KeyMarker"] = resp["NextKeyMarker"]
    args["VersionIdMarker"] = resp["NextVersionIdMarker"]

# filter out all items that don't have delete markers:
results = {
    key: value for key, value in results.items() if len(value["delete_markers"]) > 0
}

# determine if the most recent status of the object is deleted.
def is_deleted(key):
    tmp = [x for x in results[key]["delete_markers"] if x["IsLatest"]]
    return len(tmp) > 0


# now do the actual deletion

for key, value in results.items():
    if is_deleted(key):
        print("Deleting {}".format(key))
        for item in value["objects"]:
            s3.delete_object(Bucket=bucket, Key=key, VersionId=item["VersionId"])
        for item in value["delete_markers"]:
            s3.delete_object(Bucket=bucket, Key=key, VersionId=item["VersionId"])